HackSign:Legend of the dark hacker
by Chropecious blade
Summary: Takum and Ginger created characters get a team, do battle,and try and save Takum's brother from a coma enduced by a mysterious force, bad guy: Dark hacker. features Hacksign characters.
1. Takum's gift

This story will be off a lot from the original dot hack for I do not own any dot hack (also will include new weapons).

Hack/Sign: Legend of the dark hacker

Chapter one: Takum's gift

The sun set over the small city of Gaesoki as a young boy carried a box set of the virtual reality game: THE WORLD. When he got into his room he excitedly set up the game system to his computer. When it was all finished he picked up the headgear for the game, placed it over his face, jacked it into the computer, and started the game.

The computer spoke: WELCOME TO THE WORLD, WOULD YOU LIKE TO BEGIN NOW OR READ MAIL?

The boy said ,"begin now", and the game started. As it began he could feel his body changing into some other person's body. He didn't like this feeling it almost hurt, when it was complete a shock went through his head and to his brain. This shock mixed in with the brain waves and created the alternate world where he would play the game.

"Awesome!" The boy said as he started to walk around in this new world.

Then other players appeared and moved as they pleased, markets thrived with business, player's teleported in and out from the chaos gate, and small boats sailed under a bridge in the center of the city. The city was the Aqua Capital Mac Anu. He looked down at his clothes and noticed that he had on dark blue paints, a dark blue shirt, white long under sleeves, and dark brown gloves (basically he has the kite outfit just in blue and none of that weird design he got from the book of the Twilight). In his hands were a pair of simple daggers, he was what is called in the world a twinlade.

After awhile of running around and searching of the city he decided to find someone to join his team. He noticed a tall girl with blue short hair buying a broad sword called Keirosami from the weapons store.

"Uh would you mind if I asked for your name," the boy asked.

"Me, oh I'm Ginger. What's your name?"

"I'm Takum and I'm a..." she interrupts him.

"A noob right," she asked.

"No, yeah, wait that's not what I was going to say. I was going to say a twinblade!"

"Duh I know that, it's not like I just started playing," she told him.

"Well any way I was gonna ask if you wanted to team up."

She paused for a moment then said o.k.

"But we're gonna need to get you another stronger pair of blades," she pulled him up to the store keeper.

"I don't have any money Ginger," he told her ashamedly.

She said he could use her money to buy the weapons and he did. He bought a pair of level five blades called Rac Dras.

As they were walking across the bridge towards the chaos gate Takum ran into a tall man with long black hair, he was a wavemaster, and he wore a long grey and green colored robe.

"Oh I'm sorry sir for running into you," Takum said to the man who looked at him angrily.

"Just don't let it happen again," the man picked Takum up by the collar, "'Cause if it does happen again I'll kick you're as..." he was interrupted by a group of soldiers and their leader, a woman by the name of Kamui.

"Excuse me! Are there any problems here?" The leader asked them.

"No ma'am just playin around with my friend here," the man put Takum down.

Ginger and Takum walked on to the chaos gate and warped off to a place selected by Ginger. Takum asked why she had picked the place when they arrived there.

"Don't you read your mail, this place is just open for today and it's very special. In my mail it said that the girl named Aura sometimes appears around hear to look at the grace of the Olympth statue: one of the most magnificent things about the world. They say that if you look at it and accept its true grace you'll be given a special gift from Aura," Ginger told him.

"Aura..." suddenly Takum froze and suddenly rembered that he'd already played this game sometime before. Then he remembered completely: A pale girl in a long brilliantly bright white dress floated in front of a blademasterwho's face was fuzzy and unrecognizable. Takum was on the ground crying, "B-b-b-brother please don't go with her... I want you to stay with me in the real world, not this game!"

"But it's not a game, its reality. The world you know is fake I don't believe in it, I-I-I won't believe it! Goodbye brother, I must go with Aura now, I'll see you later huh bro?" The blademaster walked over to Aura and started to fade away.

"NO BROTHER DON'T, PLEASE DON'T GO," Takum ran towards his brother trying to catch him but was too late, then heblacked out.

Takum awoke from the flashback when Ginger pushed him.

"C'mon lets go," she started down a long corridor to a huge double door entrance made of wood. Takum slowly followed her to the door; they opened the door and walked into the building. Inside was what looked to be a chapel with several rows of pews, at the front of the room was a huge statue of a warrior; Olympth, he was a heavy-blade like Ginger, in his hands was a huge broad sword that had a black zigzag design in the center of the blade.

"Was he a good warrior?"

She laughed at the question as they stepped in front of the statue. Takum asked why she laughed but she didn't answer him. In fact she never answered his first question, he just guessed the answer was a yes.

"Ginger I want to tell you something."

"Okay what is it?"

"Three years ago when the incident occurred with the girl named Aura."

"Yeah, I knew you weren't really a noob."

"I was involved and so was my brother Takuna, he fell into a deep coma that night and he still hasn't recovered I think it's because he went with Aura and stayed there, and I also fell into a coma for a long time after the incident, so that's why i thought this was my first time playing."

"What! You think he's with Aura, that's crazy I mean how'd you come up with that?"

"I didn't make it up, it's true. He went with her, I saw him fade away with her."

"Huh, you're serious?"

"YES!"

"Oh my goodness I'm so sorry about your brother being in a coma, oh and your coma"

"Thanks Ginger. I think I can save him though, if I can ask Aura for him back then he'll snap out of the coma!"

"Maybe, maybe," she said to him then returned to gazing at the statue as did Takum.

Suddenly a light illuminated from behind them, they turned to see Aura floating towards them. They both looked worried at her. She stared at them as she approached, then she stopped in front of Takum.

"Aura I'd like to ask you about my brother Takuna, I'd like to have him back please," he asked her, she ignored then changed her glance to Ginger.

"What?" She asked as Aura came closer to her.

Aura stopped in front of Ginger and stared into her eyes. Ginger stepped away and Aura followed.

"Get away," Ginger pulled out the Keirosami and pointed it at Aura. She drifted away from Ginger then and stared at Takum.

"I said I want my brother back"

"Your brother Takuna is here in the world as we speak",she told him as she came closer.

"What? How can that be Aura?"

Aura turned to the statue and stared directly at it. Takum turned to the statue and really closely observed it.

She began," Takuna was infected by a viral infection, I took him with me only to cure him, but the infection had spread completely through his body. It drove him crazy and whenI healed him my power and then infection caused the coma. Takum I am sorry, but he is alive and well in the game for reasons I cannot explain."

"So you only wanted to help my brother?"

"Yes and now I have a gift for you to show my apology", she floted up to the statue.

"A gift", Ginger woddled over slowly to him.

"What's happening", Takum asked as a light came from Aura and flew into the statue, a few seconds later a bright light shot out and flew into Takum.

"AH, what is this," Takum fell to the floor as a pain swept through him, "AHHHH THERE'S SOME KIND OF ENERGY SURGING THROUGH ME IT HURTS SO BAD AHHHHHH!" A light shot out of Takum and blinded him and Ginger. Then everything and everybody stopped for a split second and the entire WORLD'S areas and inhabitants colors all inverted. Then everything returned to normal and Takum lost consciousness.

"Takum wake up! Takum wake up", shescreamed and screamed for him but he didn't answer.

"Hmm... wha... what happened", Takum got up and rubbed his head after a few seconds.

"A bright light from the statue shot into you and you fell unconscious and that's all", she explained to him.

"I wanted to ask her where Takuna is in the world but I guess I'll just have to search for him myself", he said while looking around and seeing that Aura was gone.

"Well you've still got me to help you"

Takum thanked her then they started for the exit then stopped when they heared a roar from behind them, they slowy turned to see a gigantic data bug.

"Wha... what is that?"

"It's a data bug and a huge one at that", she answered him

Takum pulled out his pair of Ras dras and got into his battle position.Ginger readied her Keirosami as the data bug got closer.

"RRRAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH", the data bug roared.

They both darted towards the data bug, she slung her blade forward as she neared the creature, Takum ran up a wall, jolted off of it and landed on the creature, then he stuck both blades in its back. Thedata buglet out a moan then shook frantically to get Takum off.He pulled out his blades and jumped off its back.

"Take this!" Ginger slashed and missed it, "WHAT!"

Then the data bug grabbed her with its giant claw and squeezed her as hard as it could. She screamed in pain as it squeezed her.

"TAKUM!"

When he heared this he charged at the data bug, pulled back one arm as a bracelet appeared on his wrist, it glowed bright green.The light grew brighter as he neared it, then he thrusted his hand forward and, "HACK!"

Ginger was blinded for a second and fell to the floor as the data bug broke and was reassembled. When she could see again she saw a small scarecrow running away. Takum quickly caught and killed it.

"What was that called?"

"I don't know, I just knew that i had to save you or it would've been over and then it just happened", he explained to her.

As they made it to the exit they heard another roar, turned and saw another data bug. They quikly ran out the doors as it chased them. They closed the doors and ran down the corridor but stopped when they saw a man. He was wearing armor, had a long white cape, white hair and blue eyes, and a long silver sword.

"Move now!" The man said to them and the data bug broke through the doors and after them.

They jumped to the side and watched as the man unsheathed his sword and slashed down to the ground, a silver wave blasted through the data bug and it exploded before it reached him.When this was over the man walked over to Ginger and Takum and helped them up.

"I am Balmung and you two are?"

They stated their names to him.Then Ginger asked if he was "the Balmung". He answered with a yes and she bowed, pulling Takum down with her.

"Thank you, but I want to ask you something", he directed his last words at Takum.

"Yes", they answered as they stood.

"What happened inside their?"

They explained everything to him thoroughly and then Balmung said to himself, "Data Drain."

"Takum you might want to get back to the root town and log out for a while, because if the cobalt knight brigade finds you then you'll be deleted."

"What, who are they Balmung", he asked him.

"Remember in Mac Anu when you ran into that bully wavemaster, those knights that saved your butt are the cobalt knight Brigade", she told him.

"Yeah Balmung you're right I should keep away from the game for awhile, see ya later Ginger", he gated out and she quickly followed.

"Ha so Aura gave that boy a gift, just like Kite and Shugo who were both twinblade as well", a man's voice came from behind Balmug.

He turned around to see the wavemaster from Mac Anu crossing his arms and nolding a long black staff in one hand. He had no expression on his face and he stared at Balmung.

"Who are you?"

"Ha, I'm the notorious hacker Ezra. You know the one creating special costumes and weapons and selling them at high prices, and the one who's been making all those wild NPC's for the Cobalt knights to have fun with."

"I do not associate with hackers", Balmung walked away.

"Even if it is about the dark hacker."

"What! The dark hacker?" Balmung turned to him.

"The greatest hacker ever known, word is that he uses some kind of secret weapon to do his dirty work, but this guy is serious, he's responsible for putting ten people in a coma as of today."

"Hmm... I wonder if I should tell Kamui or... no I will take you into custady of CCcorp. for questioning", he said to Ezra.

He laughed, "Na, I'll just work on this with some of my men, ha, ha, ha", he gated out.

"Ezra, Dark hacker, and Data Drain, hmm... they must be connected but how?" Balmung pondered then gated out..


	2. Appearance of the Dark Hacker

Hack/Sign: Legend of the dark hacker

Chapter two: Corruption part1: Appearance of the dark Hacker

Takum awoke from a deep sleep and quickly jumped out of bed and turned on his computer. He then put on the virtual reality viser, then remembered what Balmung said. He pulled off the viser and decided to check his mail, two messages had been left: one from Ginger and the other was from a mysterious messenger. He opened the mail from Ginger and read:

"Hey, yesterday was strange, but when you get back you should check out delta Hidden Putrid Twin Hills with me okay. See you then Takum, bye."

The next message he opened had no picture to varify who it was, it read:

"You are Takum right, names Ezra. I have imformation about that special power of your's Data Drain, just meet me at delta Bursting Hot-Blooded Melody. Oh and take these, you'll need them to gate hack to this area."

"Virus Cores A, Q, and five T's", Takum read.

"P.S. don't bring anybody with you okay, cause I'm a hacker and I don't want any unnecessary attention, got it!"

Takum closed the mail, put on the viser, and logged on to THE WORLD. He appeared in Mac Anu and turned quickly to the chaos gate. He entered the words Bursting Hot-Blooded Melody and in a second the words PROTECTED AREA appeared, a static field appeared and in moments he was gate hacking. He inserted the necessary number of virus cores and was on his way, the bracelet glowed bright green once again and he thrusted his arm forward. A data tunnel appeared above him, he jumped up into it and flew strait to the top and then out into the area. The area was corrupted, data floated through the air, the area was dark and luckily for Takum, the dungen was right in front of him. He entered and saw that the first room was like the inside of a monsters mouth. He walked straight into the other room through a door that looked to be a throat hole. In the next room was a chaos gate that was activating, he readied himself. Out of it came a blue goblin with long claws.

"Hello I am Mino one of the three goblins in this dungen, you can only pass if you beat me, ha, ha, ha, ha, which you won't!"

By his small size, Takum smiled and thought this should be easy. He ran straight at it with blades in hand.He slashed at it several times but missed.

"Err, damn I can't hit it", Takum said furiously as he attacked it.

"Takum, the only way you can beat it is with Data Drain, but you need it to have a Project Break by weakening it. Observe, Vak Kruz", Ezra's voice casted a spell on the goblin.

Suddenly many flames appeared around it and crushed it, reducing its life by more than half, and then it had a Project Break.

"Now!"

Takum listened to Ezra's word and pulled back his arm as the bracelet glowed, "Data Drain", he thrusted his arm forward and, "Hack!" The goblin blew up and was reassembled into a crab and in one strike was killed, Takum gained one experience.

"However great a power Data Drain is, it also reduces the exp. you recieve", Ezra explained.

Takum went on to the next room and another goblin appeared out of the chaos gate, this time purple.

"Names Rinas, and I won't be as easy to beat as Mino", she laughed then flew at Takum claws ready to slice and dice.

"Ha, Staccato", Takum wildly striked his opponent leaving it with half life and him with half his SP.

The goblin had a Project Break but Takum wanted all the experience, he used Staccato once more and killed it, recieving 500 experience.

"Here's a Mage Soul to restore your SP, you can thank me after you beat the next goblin if you can", Takum's SP was fully restored.

He walked into the next room, there were five chest, a skeleton, and a bunch of eggs. After breaking all these things he went to the chest and found a frost bracer, a nomads hood, jungle boots, and a pair of Lv 8 blades: Spiral edge which all were equiped.

He went down a flight of stairs and into an empty room which led to the entrance of another room, but in front of it were purple flames. Takum cautionly walked into the room where he saw another chaos gate.

"Now this is the reason this area is corrupted, the data bug in this gate. Use data drain and then kill it, then meet me in the last room", Ezra told Takum who readied himself.

The gate opened and out came a giant goblin that was infected like a data bug.

"Name Gerut, ahhrahhhhhhhhhh, destroy!"

"It has gone crazy, I have to defeat it", Takum charged at it with all his speed.

Takum missed every attack and was slung into a wall. He jumped up and charged again," Staccato!" This time he hit it but it seemed as if it was uneffected. The data bug picked him up and threw him into another wall, he used a health drink then charged again slashing madly, jumped back and used a skill he had obtained from the frost bracer, "Rue Kruz", ice surrounded the data bug and crushed it , Takum repeated this many times until it had a Project Break and then, "Hack!"

It reassembled into a smaller goblin.

"Huh what happened, oh a challenger, time to die!"

Takum ran through it slashing madly and then, "Sword Dance", and bam it was over and Takum leveled up to Lv 5. He walked into the next and last room, in it was a treasure chest and behind it was a statued surrounded by a circle of data. He walked towards the chest then stopped when someone appeared in front of it.

"Hey your that wavemaster from Mac Anu, Ezra's your name right."

"Yes I am Ezra, and sorry about earlier, I did not know that you were gifted with the bracelet."

"Apology accepted. Now what do you know about this bracelet?"

"I know that it has the power to place people in comas and also can kill the user by infection if used too much. My men are still looking into it, we should know every detail about it in a couple of days."

Then a mysterious voice came out of no where, "Oh it'll take you that long, it only took me a couple of mere seconds. I guess it is because I am the greatest hacker that has ever lived."

"So it's you Dark hacker", Ezra asked.

A person appeared in between Takum and Ezra, he had two long strands of red hair haging down to his shoulders from a black bandanna, the rest of his hair was behind the bandanna and was short, blonde, and had red spikey tips. All of his atire was black except for a large golden ring of light around his wrist.

_"Dark Hacker?"_ Takum asked himself as he was confused.

"Yes Ezra, I am the brilliant Dark hacker", he said to Ezra.

"Fine, if your the Dark hacker then show me your special weapon!"

"Okay, Data Blade", From the golden ring rose an arm blade made of the same golden light," HACK!"

He stuck the blade into the groung and an inverted wave of colors exploded from the ground making a huge crater. The dungen eveporated as well as the statue within it, but the treasure remained.

"What was that", Takum yelled.

His bracelet started to glow brightly, "Errahhh, Hack!" He used Data Drain unwillingly on the dark hacker. He simply pulled his blade from the ground and garded, when the attack hit it was canceled out. Ezra watched as this happened and smiled. Now the dark hacker attacked Takum, pulling his arm back and thrusting it at him, he quickly garded with his arms as the blade struck his bracelet. An abnormal reaction occured between the two, an explosion that sent Takum several feet back and heavily injured. The dark hacker simply stumbled back a few steps.

"Now to finish you off and take that bracelet", the hacker approached Takum and prepared to stick his blade through him.

He pulled his arm back then thrusted the blade down, but was stopped when Ezra jabbed his staff end into the hackers back which threw him over Takum and into the ground.

"You won't be deleting this boy Dark hacker, not on my watch!"

"Oh yeah", he charged at Ezra.

"VAK KRUZ!" The hacker was blown backwards.

"Err, fine I'll just delete both of you", he dissappeared.

Ezra looked around everywhere but saw no sign of him. Then he appeared behind him and stuck the blade into him, Ezra started to fade away.

"No! Stop right there you hacker", Balmung shouted from behind.

The dark hacker pulled out his blade and Ezra fell to his knees tiredly.

"Hmm... Balmung nice to finally meet you, I am the Dark Hacker", he intoduced himself as he walked away from Ezra and Takum.

"Dark Hacker! By order of CCcorporation you are under arrest", he pulled out is sword and faced it at him.

"Dosen't matter if you arrested me, I'd just escape. But Balmung you shouldn't be worried about arresting me, you should be worried about completely deleting me from this game, for I have plan to completely corrupt it and then take complete control of it", he laughed.

"Ha, no one could pull that off, I'm taking you to CCcorp now", he approached him.

"Goodbye Balmung", he flipped several times over to the chest, "I'll just take this and be on my way,bye now!" He gated out.

"Ezra, I wouldn't normally ask a hacker a favor, but will you make sure Takum gets back to the root town safetly and logs out?"

"Yes Balmung, you can trust me."

Balmung gated out. Ezra then pulled Takum off the ground and gated out but not to Mac Anu.Takum awoke staring face to face with a huge stinky Grunty. He was laying on the ground looking up at its face. He got up slowly and looked around to see three players standing in a triangle around him.

"Hello, my names... Takum and you guys are?"

"Who are you calling a guy", a loud girls voice came from behind him.

He turned to see a short girl with green hair, furry orange cat ears, a long blue and yellow scarf around her neck, what seemed to be long orange furry boots with sharp cat like nails at the bottom, a short red skirt, a short sleeved green shirt sith a black vest on top of it, and orange furry gloves that ended at the wrist and had cat claws at the finger ends.

"My mistake ma'am, um where are we?"

"The highland city of Dun Loireag in the Beta server of course."

"Oh Ezra must've broutght me here, oh if you don't mind me asking, what are your names?"

"I'm Nanni and these are my two geeky teamates who I'm disbanning right now, scram!" They bolted away like a bat out of hell.

"Okay I see you have alot of power over your teamates, well anyways goodbye Nanni, I hope to see you again sometime, goodbye", he prepared to log out when she stopped him.

"Here's my member adress and maybe we can go exploring together", she gave him her member adress then logged out.

"Awesome I have a new teammember, Ginger should be thrilled", he was interuppted by the clatter of armor.

"Halt player Takum, we are the Cobalt knight Brigade and you are under arrest do to association with hackers", the knights announced.

Then out of the crowd of knights emerge a women, their leader Kamui. She had what seemed to be a cross between an axe and a lance in her right hand. She approached Takum with her weapon pointing straight at him.

"Prepare to be arrested, if you refuse I will personaly delete you!"

"No stay away or else I'll", then his bracelet glowed brightly and without his consent it happened, "Hack!" Bam she was completely broken and then pulled back together. She returned to her bodily form and fell to the ground, her body disappeared.

"What have you done to Lady Kamui, you are a hacker. CHARGE!" They all ran at him weapons ready to kill.

"No stay back ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh, HACK!" They all went through the same process as Kamui did.

"Oh my... what have I... I have to get out of here and fast", he quickly logged out not knowing that the Dark Hacker watched from on top of the roof of an items shop.

"Oh my, my, my, he seems to have almost no control over that bracelet, but I on the other hand would be perfect with it, the Data Blade and Data Drain, oh I can almost taste the power as I speak. Ha, ha, ha, I will have that power no matter who I have to deal with along the way", he laughed as he logged out.


	3. Ezra's Alliance

Hack/Sign: Legend of the Dark Hacker

Chapter three: Ezra's alliance

Sun set over the city of Gaesoki as a young brunnet entered her house and logged on to her computer, then entered the main page of THE WORLD and read her mail, she currently had two messages, one from Takum and the other from a mysterious messenger. She opened Takum's first and read:

"Ginger I don't know what to do I'm in serious trouble with CCcorp. first they want to arrest me for associating with hackers, then they try deleting me because I defended myself with the data drain, and now all the members of the Cobalt Knight Brigade are in comas. CCcorp. is looking for me and I think they'll delete me if found, maybe sometime in the future I'll be able to play along side you, goodbye."

She replied a message, "No Takum, they deserved to be in comas for what they did in THE WORLD, deleting harmless NPC's, we have to save your brother remember and I'm not gonna let you quit on him like that, got it!"

She sent the message and waited for a reply for several minutes then a message came, she read:

"Okay Ginger let's go to that place you were telling me about, delta Hidden Putrid Twin Hills, see you in a couple minutes."

She then opened the other message and found no picture to it, she read:

"Hi the names Ezra, I got some information on your friends lost brother. I know Aura already explained most of it to you but I can give you his location. Come to delta Hidden Putrid Twin Hills, I already knew you were comming here so I picked it just to make it easier on you, see you then."

She thought if she should tell Takum now or just wait till she met up with him, she decided to wait then entered THE WORLD, when she was in she looked everywhere for him with no such luck, she called for him all over. Then she thought that he might have already gone to the area, she went to the chaos gate and entered Hidden Putrid Twin Hills and when she arrived there she saw Takum, or what seemed to be him, back facing her. She called his name and he turned to her, a frown on his face, then slowly a smile, "GINGER!" He ran to her and gave her a hug.

"Okay I didn't know you would be this happy to see me," she embrassed his hug and blushed after awhile.

He let go and said, "I invited a new member to are team."

"Oh a new member, what's his name?"  
"Her name is Nanni, she won this cool class costume in this THE WORLD side game, the class is weretiger, I know it sounds weird but it is really cool," he said as she appeared behind Ginger.

Ginger felt a little glum when she heard it was a girl. Nanni walked up behind Ginger stealth like to scare her.

"BOO!"

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, Takum protect me," she screamed as the cat-like girl popped up from behind, "Oh why I oaughta kill you", she thrusted her sword forward, almost hitting Nanni.

"Hey watch it you freak, you could have chopped my face off!"

"Err, you're lucky I didn't cut you in half!"

"Hey enough! Calm down it was only a joke Ginger," Takum laughed,"You might as well get use to her, she's the new team member, Ginger."

"Okay, the reason I picked this place is because some guy named Ezra invited me here, said he had news of your brother Takuna,"she explained to him.

"Ezra! Did you say Ezra?"  
"Yeah, why?"

"He left me in the Beta server for those Cobalt Knights to attack me, when I see him I swear I'm gonna..." he was interupted.

"Do what Takum," Ezra's voice sounded behind him.

Ginger was shocked to find that it was the brute from Mac Anu. Nanni was completely confused, and Takum clutched his fist as tight as he could. He then attacked Ezra with his right fist, Ezra caught it then threw him to the ground. Takum quickly got up and kicked with his right leg at Ezra's head, he blocked, grabbed Takum by the angle and slung him to the ground.

"I'll kill you!"

"If you kill me, how do you expect to find Takuna huh?"  
Takum growled furiously at him, then got up and apologized to him. Ginger walked over to Takum's side and put her hand on his shoulder, Nanni felt left out so she walked over to them.

"Okay what do you know about Takuna huh, no lieing either," Ginger pointed her blade at his face.

"Ha, now hold up, I said I'd give you answers, but I want to see how well you work as a team. I'll give you a few monsters to fight and if you can win then I'll tell you everything I know."

They accepted the terms and Ezra made a chaos gate appear, it activated and out of it came a huge mantis, and three goblins in war armor with clubs. They charged, Takum attacked with his blades, Ginger with her broad sword, and Nanni with her Tiger claws. Within seconds they took out the Goblins, Takum leveled up twice, now Lv 7, Nanni leveled up to Lv 6, and Ginger to Lv 8.

"Come on guy's let's finish this quick, everyone use your skills,"Rue Kruz!"

"Vak Kruz strike," Gingers blade lit on fir and she striked it many times.

Nanni ran foward slashed it many times then jumped over the mantis and yelled," Rue Rage", her claws became ice and she striked straight down through the mantis, its two parts fell over and dissappeared.

"Done!" The team boasted proudly.

He smirked then made another chaos gate," Let's see how you fare against a Data Bug!" Out of the chaos gate came a huge crab like data bug, covered in green data.

Takum was now worried, he did not want to use Data Drain for he now feared that it would go out of control again. However, he would need to use it to take out a data bug.

"Attack!" They ran forward and striked furiously but nothing happened, the data bug roared and smacked Ginger a yard back to the ground. Nanni tried using a skill but was thrown into a rock. Now Takum stood alone against it, he then crazily attacked it,"Staccato, Rue Kruz, Vak Kruz!"

The data bug now had a Project break, this was it, he pulled back his arm as the bracelet glowed, and before he could launch the attack, the data bug was deleted. Now standing there where the data bug once was, was no other than the dark hacker.

"Hello, I hope I wasn't introuding. I can't let you go and die from a mere data bug, not if I want that bracelet."

"Never! I'd never give you this bracelet."

"Oh then I'll take it by force, ha,"the dark hacker charged at him with the data blade.

Ezra jumped in front of Takum and blasted a dark ball at the attacker. The dark hacker was thrown to the ground but quickly jumped up.

"Ezra you've gotten in my way for the last time, die," he raced at him full speed ready to slice right through him.

He smiled then charged the dark hacker with his staff at the side, ready to swing at any second. They neared each other with every second then he swung his staff forward and blasted several dark balls at him, he dodged all of them and stabbed his blade foward almost hitting Ezra. Then the dark balls made a sharp turn back towards the dark hacker, Ezra bolted backwards as the dark balls hit the hacker. At the end of the assault, the dark hacker exploded sending him back a few yaards and knocking him unconcious.

"Now to finish the job," another dark ball formed, Ezra took a batting stance and prepared to swing as hard as he could.

"HEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEEHEHHEEHEHEH, NOT SO FAST!" A strange voice omniously spoke from an unknown area.

Ezra looked around everywhere then turned back to the dark hacker,"It's over," he swung the staff and bam it went zooming towards the dark hacker who started to awake. Suddenly a huge mirror appeared in front of him and reflected the attack back at Ezra at an unavoidable speed and bam he was thrown to the ground but flipped back up to his feet.

"I SAID NOT SO FAST, YOU EZRA ARE ABOUT TO SUFFER MY RATH. HOW DARE YOU HURT THE DARK HACKER I SHOULD DELETE YOU RIGHT NOW, BUT I'LL LET YOU OFF WITH A WARNING," the ominpresent voice returned.

"Who are you?"

"ME WHY I AM HIS PROTECTOR, HE KEEPS THE CCCORP. GOONS OFF MY BACK IN RETURN FOR MY PROTECTING HIM."

"Show yourself you coward," Ezra yelled to the sky.

"OKAY! READY YOURSELF FOR ULTIMATE DESTRUCTION," the voice yelled then a dark portal started to open, black lightning showered out of the portal as it got bigger and bigger.

Ezra stepped away from the portal a couple feet, Takum had gotten with Nanni and Ginger as the fight went on, and now they stared at the portal. Soon it was larger than a full grown body, and now a black form stepped out of the portal. When it was fully out the portal evaporated, he was a tall man with a jester outfit on and one of those three prong hat's.

"HELLO EZRA, TAKUM AND YOUR FRIENDS, I'VE HEARD ALOT ABOUT YOU AND YOUR DATA DRAIN FROM MY FRIEND THE DARK HACKER. NOW EZRA I'M GOING TO DEAL WITH YOU," the jester like man said to them.

"Okay let's go!" He rushed at the jester and shot hundreds of those dark balls at him.

The jester laughed and pulled his arm up and faced his hand at the dark balls as they came closer. When they reached his hand they cancelled out.

"HEHEHEEHEHEHEHE, DID YOU REALLY THINK THAT COULD HURT ME. I AM CALLED THE PROTECTOR FOR THE VERY REASON THAT I CAN'T BE HURT BY ANY ATTACKS."

"What!" Ezra stared wide eyed at the jester who nodded his head.

"Oh yeah," Takum yelled as he pulled out his blades and attacked,"Staccato," each slash did nothing to the jester.

The jester's white painted face held no expression as Takum continued to attack and did no damage. He was finally tired so he stopped and panted heavily. The jester picked Takum up with some sort of telakenesis and held his hand in front of Takums chest. Around his wrist appeared what to be an exact replica of the bracelet.

"YOU SEE TAKUM I CAN COPY AND USE ANY SKILL I SEE AND WELL I KNOW ALL ABOUT THE DATA DRAIN HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA!" The move Takum had used to do the dirty business back in Dun Loireag to the Cobalt Knight Brigade was now about to put him in a coma, he started to loose conciousness as the bright light from the bracelet blinded him.

"ALL I REMEMBER AFTER THAT WAS WAKING UP IN MY BEDROOM, WHAT HAPPENED AND WHY I'M NOT IN A COMA IS STILL A MYSTERY TO ME."

Three days later Takum found several pieces of mail for him, two from Ginger, one from Balmung, one from Nanni, and one from Ezra.He opened Ginger's first it read:

"Takum! Takum are you alright, what happened back there I thought you were a goner but somehow I know you survived, contact me as soon as possible." The second message read:

"Still no word from you Takum, I want to know if you are okay? Please contact me just so I know you are alright."

He sent a quick reply, "I'm perfectly fine Ginger, I don't know how but I am, hope to see you soon."

He opened the next message from Balmung and read:

"Takum! When I get a hold of you... you are in big trouble with CCcorp. first association with hackers then puttin several people into comas. I thought you were going to stay out of THE WORLD! When ever you come back I want you to go directly to beta Bursting Orange Sorrow and meet me okay!" He closed the mail and glumly opened Ezra's:

"I hope your okay Takum, your brother can be found at Beta Closed Forgotten Fort Walls. Also it is a Lv40 area so your going to want to bring your entire team and heres my member adress so you can contact me when you are going there. I have the necessary virus cores for you to gate hack there, see you then." Takum cheered up now and entered the game. He decided to meet Balmung first since his messange sounded so urgent. He entered the beta server then entered in Bursting Orange Sorrow, when he arrived their he saw no one around. He took a step forward and a giant steel cage fell around him.

"Hey what the hell's going on?"

"Calm down Takum we are going to need you to be still when we delete your character," Balmun said from behind him.

"What delete me, why?"

"Because of what you've done to the Cobalt Knight Brigade," he stepped in front of Takum's cage.

"Please Balmung I beg of you, I am so close to finding my brother I just need a few more days. Then you can delete my character but..." Balming interupted.

"It isn't my choice it is CCcorp's decision, I'm sorry for everything that's happened and that is about to happen to you, goodbye forever," he turned away from him as two CCcorp. administraders appeared beside the two sides of the cage and pointed their arms at him holding their hand up just like the jester.

"No please don't let them do this Balmung!"

Then a static field surrounded Takum and that's when the pain started.

"AHHHHHHHH, Balmung! Help me please... ahhhhh," he screamed in pain as the field covered him.

It now felt as if his skin was veing peeled off, layer by layer as he was deleted. Then his body in the game started to dissolve slowly in an even more painful process. As his waist dissolved he squeezed his eyes as tight as possible and gritted his teeth together to overcome the pain then he grew angry at the administrators and thought, "No, I am not going to lose my brother when I'm this close to saving him," then he yelled, "ENOUGH!" A huge energy serged through his remaining body, reconfiguring his body togehter. Then he let all his power go,"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH," the field around him was now pushed away by a stronger field, then completely overcome and pushed into the walls of the cage. After a while the walls started to tremble.

"Sir Balmung we can't hold it," they told him as the bars started to crack.

Balmung turned and stared in awe at Takum's power, then quickly unsheathed his blade and prepared to strike but was too late for the bars were anihilated and the field blew them all away. Takum then put his hand in the air, the bracelet glowed, and a portal opened up. He squatted down as far as he could then leaped up into the portal and was gone. Balmung and the other administraders were all laying on the ground heavily wounded.

"Takum what have you done?" Balmung then fell unconcious.


	4. Blade master, twinblade,and apprentice

Hack/Sign: Legend of the Dark Hacker

Chapter four: The blade master, twinblade, and the apprentice

Takum landed in some new place he had never been before, it seemed like another root town but he couldn't tell. He started down a long paved corridor open to the night sky, then he saw another player then three more running around to shops and trading for new and better items. Takum asked one of them where he was.

"Oh, the cultural town of Carnina Gadelia," the player said then left.

Takum was now confused but decided to check things out, he walked to a weapons shop. He saw a pair of blades that caught his eyes, the Masterblades: 120000GP, which he didn't have. He started to walk off when he heard Ezra's voice and stopped.

"I'll take care of this,"he handed the shopkeeper the money and gave the weapon to Takum.

"Thanks, but how'd I get here?"

"I was hoping you could tell me," he said to him as they started for the chaos gate.

"Oh... um... all I remember is," he suddenly remembered everything and all the pain he felt returned and he fell to the ground, and in seconds it was over,"I was almost deleted by these two administaders and Balmung, Balmung wouldn't help me, he said something like it was beyond his control or something else, I can't fully remember," Takum jumped back to his feet and new mail appeared over his head and then he remembered Nanni's mail.

"Oh no I forgot to read her mail, I'll be right back Ezra."

"Just meet me with your team at beta Closed Forgotten Fort Walls," then Takum logged off.

He quickly opened his mail, one from Ginger and now two from Nanni, he read Nanni's first:

"Hey Takum, that fight was really strange but your bracelet interest me and so do your enemies. I hope you're okay and I can't wait till we play again, bye." He opened the second one:

"Takum, I found out something about the dark hacker, he has a hideout in delta Hidden Ravenous Sea of Sand. I'm going to check it out, I'll contact you if I end up needing your help."

He exhaled due to his relief that it wasn't anything extremely serious then opened Ginger's and read:

"I'm going on a vacation for a few weeks so what ever important places you want to go with me, we have to do today."

He replied,"Okay Gnger, meet me in the beta server at the chaos gate."

Then he logged back in and arrived at the beta server to find Nanni beating up these two wavemasters.

"This is what you get for stealing my stuff," she punched one in the face and elbowed another in the stomach, then took back the stolen item, a silver scarab: used for trading and selling only.

"Hey Nanni," he said to her, she looked at him and smiled.

"So are we going to an area today?"

"Yes, I'm waiting on Ginger so we can go," he told her.

She walked towards him squinting her eyes ,"What area Takum?"

"Oh it's Closed Forgotten Fort Walls, and what did you find at the dark hackers hideout?"

"What are you talking about? I've never been to the dark hackers hideout."

"What! You sent me mail that said you had found it Nanni," he told her.

"No, I am telling you that I have never been there. What was the area's name?"

"It was delta Hidden Ravenous Sea of Sand and it was the place that you told me he was hiding at."

She stared at him confused, knowing that she had never been nor heard of that area. Then Ginger appeared at the chaos gate and called them over. Takum and Nanni laid the argument to rest and walked to Ginger.

"Okay everybody let's go to Closed Forgotten Fort Walls," Takum put the area name into the chaos gate and of course it was a protected area. Takum activated the bracelet and prepared to gate hack like before, without virus cores. He stuck his arm forward and the portal reappeared then jumped through and on the other side was the area. Ginger and Nanni arrived a few seconds later. The place was covered in a thick layer of snow yet it was still warm, he searched the landscape for any sign of Ezra but there were none. Then he started shouting his name repeatedly until he appeared in front of them.

"Are you ready to find your brother Takum?"

"Yes I've been ready for quite some time," he answered.

They started through the long area searching for the dungeon and found it after an hour of searching. They entered slowly, when they were in the first chamber Ezra turned to them, "Are you sure you want to do this, it will be very dangerous and their is a high chance that you may even die."

They all agreed to move on, Ezra then pointed his black staff at them, a dark field went around the three team members and they started to feel their strenght grow and suddenly they started to level up like crazy, this put a strain on Ezra the higher their levels went. The strain was so much that he had to stop at Lv58 when he fell to the ground, the dark field evaporated and they ran to his aid.

"It's all right I'm okay it just took alot of energy, go on ahead I'll catch up with you guys later."

Ginger and Nanni started ahead but Takum stood beside Ezra, "Thank you my friend," then he went off to the next room.

Not only had they been leveled up their weapons had also leveled up, Takums master blades were now Lv50, Gingers broad sword was Lv 48, and Nanni's tiger claws were now also Lv48. In the next room a chaos gate activated and out of it came two giant golems with steel clubs. They ran at them and attacked widly with their new skills,"Twin Dragons, Swirling Dark, Thunder Coil!" Within a matter of minutes the first golem was down and only one remained. This one charged and slamed his club into the ground sending them all into the wall. Takum jumped from the wall and onto the club where he ran straight up it and onto the golems hands. Now the others attacked at it's feet, slashing madly until it fell to the ground. Takum had made it to the head and now slamed his three pronged blades into the golems head, it disappeared and they all leveled up to Lv59. They continued to the next room where they found twenty chest in a scattered order each one had silver scarabs in them. Then the next two rooms repeated the room with the treasure chest except they carried Ressurects, now they carried 40 of them. Finally the next room had a chaos gate and a flight of stairs behind it, the gate activated and out of it spawned a tiny black glob of gloop that had red eyes, Takum ran straight at it and slashed it in half. The glob turned into two creatures a little bit bigger, this process continued until there were about fifty of them that reached the roof.

"Well how do you beat them," Nanni asked.

"Why are you asking me," Takum replied harshly.

Ginger had an idea, she waked around the globs and to the staircase, Nanni followed and Takum did as well lowering his head to the ground ashamedly. They walked down the stairs and found themselves at a dead end, no door or exit in sight. They started to walk around the room when they heard Ezra's voice," Don't take another step," but it was too late, Takum took another step and a tiny crack began beneath his foot. Ezra appeared on the steps as the crack got bigger and bigger, it quickly spread throughout the floor then up the walls and all over the roof. Then Nanni exhaled and the entire place shattered, they all were thrown into a black abyss, "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" They fell deeper and deeper into the darkness. Finally they landed on firm ground, all around them was the scenery from oustide the dungeon.

"How'd we get outside again, this makes no sense," Ginger said to herself.

They all looked around for some sign of where they were then they saw a tall man wearing a man's kimono, sandals, and a long sword at his side standing at the top of a hill looking towards the horizon. Takum squinted trying to see who it was then he noticed that it was Takuna.

"Brother, brother! Takuna is that you?" Takum jumped up and ran towards the man who turned as he got closer to him.

The man grabbed the sword at his side and prepared to defend himself. Takum was nearly in front of the man when he noticed two long red strips of cloth coming from a bandanna on the mans head, the wind started to blow and they flapped in the wind. Now the man attacked, swinging his sword sideways at Takum who gaurded with his blades, now the man was up close and appeared to be a boy of his own age but never the less it was not Takuna. The boy slashed again and again, each time Takum blocked and attacked back also being blocked. Now a serious fight had been started for no reason and Takum wasn't sure if he could win. The others watched from where they had landed, Ezra knowing not to interfere. Ginger got up and readied her blade but was stopped by Ezra, "No not if you want to live, that's exactly what the other one wants us to do. Once I take care of him, you to can go help Takum," Nanni jumped up after he said this. Then he readied his staff and waited a few more seconds, knowing Takum only had a few minutes to live in the fight. Finally he attacked, swinging his staff to the side he shot hundreds of black balls at a group of trees which all were destroyed, throwing a blade master out of hiding. He had long dark brown hair that reached down to the level of his chin. he wore a dark blue males kimono and held a long sword that had a black zig zag design on it. His eyes were blue and by the look of him it seemed as if he had played the game for quite some time. Ginger and Nanni saw this as their moment to help Takum, they flew to his aid weapons striking madly at the young blade master who blocked all attacks.

"What's up with this guy," Takum thought as they continued their wild assaults on the blade master.

Meanwhile Ezra and the experienced blade master stared at each other, almost hoping that the other would attack.Then they both leaped at each other, Ezra blasted several dark balls which were all slashed in half with immense speed. The blade master slashed each and every way at Ezra, who struggled to block them all. He also knew that he wouldn't last long. Then Takum was thrown back to where he had landed the others soon followed. Ezra as well was thrown to the ground, the two blade masters surrounded them and pointed their blades at the faces of Takum and Ezra.

"What do want with us and why are you here," the younger one asked Takum.

"I just came here to find my older brother Takuna that's all I swear."

Then the older blade master froze, he looked at Takum, sheathed his sword and walked over to him.

"Young boy, what is your name?"

"I am Takum!"

"Then I am your brother."

Takum jumped up and hugged the man as tightly as possible, tears slid down his face as his brother embrassed the hug. Takuna pulled away and squatted down to Takum's face, he wiped away his tears and smiled.

"Do not cry my brother, everything will be alright now."

"No it won't, you'll still be in a coma and I want you to come back to the real world, not in this world, this fake world. It won't be alright, not until you come back," more tears rushed down his face.

"If we have faith, anything is possible," he patted Takums head then stood back up, " this is my apprentice Raiko, he is very powerful and his skills are as good as mine. Please I want you to welcome him to your team Takum, you'll need him to stop that dark hacker and his protector."

"Yes, brother," he wiped away the tears from his face," but won't you be helping us fight him?"

"No I can't, I won't be around when that battle occurs, be strong Takum do not cry for me for I shall live on within you."

"What do you mean won't be around then, we need your help to stop that monster protector of his, he can't be hurt."

"I am to be deleted on the day that we are reunited and that is today."

"No, who told you this lie?"

"LIE, WHAT LIE? I TOLD HIM BECAUSE I AM THE ONE WHO WILL BE DELETING HIM," the jesters voice returned.

"Where the hell are you, this time you're dead!" Takum got into a fighting stance with his master blades ready to attack at any moment.

"No! He's too powerful, only Raiko and I stand a chance, leave and take Raiko with you, he'll come in handy I promise."

The others prepared to gate out but Takum stayed in his position. Then the jester appeared in front of Takum with the Data Drain already ready to be used. The light grew brighter and brighter but was canceled out when Takuna's blade sunk deep into the jester's back and with a loud screech he fell to the ground.

"GO!" Takuna yelled to Takum as the jester's body dissappeared and reappeared behind Takuna who telakenetically lifted into the air.

"No Takuna," Takum cried knowing he could do nothing to stop this.

The jester put his hand to Takuna's back and the bracelet started to glow brightly Takuna struggled and said to his brother,"Go now brother, we will meet again."

Takum gated out and the last thing he saw was Takuna smiling as he was deleted.

"MY BROTHER WAS DELETED, NOW I DON'T KNOW IF I WILL EVER SEE HIM AGAIN NOR BE ABLE TO DEFEAT THE DARK HACKER. HE WAS SMILING FOR A REASON I MAY NEVER KNOW, BUT MAYBE IF I HAVE FAITH I'LL SEE HIM AGAIN. MAYBE , JUST MAYBE."


	5. Edge of the world

Hack/Sign: Legend of the dark hacker

Chapter five: Edge of The World

Takum appeared in the cultural town of Carnina Gadelia where he saw the others waiting for him. Ginger looked at him with a strong sadness in her eyes, Nanni didn't face him at all, Raiko looked up to the sky, and Ezra just stared at him. He stared right back at them, they couldn't understand his sadness. No one could.

"Takum… I'm so sorry for your brother. That damn protector, why is he so strong?"

Takum turned away from them, "Shut up! Leave me alone, ahhhhhhh! It's my fault, all my fault! I was never strong enough to help my brother, in neither this world nor the other. Damn, Damn it!"

Ezra gated out and was soon followed by Nanni and Raiko. Ginger approached him, she felt sorry for him. She put her hands on his shoulders, turned him to her then kissed him. He stared at her for a moment then his eyes slowly closed as did hers. For a few minutes they kissed but were interrupted by laughter of the dark hacker. Takum broke away from the kiss and searched the area for the villain and soon found him on the roof of a shop. Ginger, still love stricken and dazed by the kiss, tried to find him while she pulled out her sword. Takum's blades were ready; he wouldn't run away this time.

"Oh did I ruin your little moment," he laughed even more.

"Yes you did! Just another reason for me to want to kill you," Takum was about to attack.

"Ha, you ready to fight me this time?"

"You better believe it! Ginger gate out and join the others, I'll deal with him," he ordered.

She did as he said; once she was gone Takum approached the shop. The dark hacker stretched out his right arm, on it appeared the data blade. Takum attacked at this moment, his blades collided with his blade. Takum pushed down on his weapons as hard as possible, the dark hacker jumped away to avoid being pushed through the roof. Takum sprinted toward him; the dark hacker did the same. They collided in a matter of seconds; an energy wave from the two attacks blew them both back.

"I see you have gotten much better, but you're still no match for me. Oh and I just received word from my jester, it seems he's captured your little friends and is taking them to a special place of mine."

"No! Damn you, where are they?"

"Let's go right now," the dark hacker slashed through the shop, destroying it completely.

They fell to the ground, Takum had lost grasp of his blades. He searched for them frantically then stopped when the dark hacker struck his blade into the ground. The ground started to dissolve, the sky turned black, and every building in sight disappeared. Takum started to fall into nothingness, as he fell the dark hacker disappeared. After a few minutes of falling he landed on firm ground. Everything was still black, but when he looked up to the sky he could see the town he had just fallen from. Players still walked around like nothing had happened, he was under the town. When he looked ahead he saw an edge, he approached it slowly. He peered over the edge and saw millions of data bugs. He jumped back, startled, he slowly walked away from the edge but stopped when he heard the laughter of the jester. He turned slowly to see the jester standing in front of a large crystal prism where his friends all rested unconscious and unaware of what was happening. The jester mocked him from afar, knowing that Takum could not reach him from his distance. Takum knew that he couldn't beat him, let alone hit him. There seemed no way to stop him.

"Takum, come boy let us fight! Or are you afraid I'll delete you like that weak brother of yours, an Lv.100 couldn't defeat me. And you think that you can stop me, ha you're a fool. Very well let's get this over with quickly shall we!"

Takum was so angry he couldn't speak, it clouded his mind, and the only option was brute force. He would have to kill the jester and somehow free his friends from their prison. In a flash he rushed his opponent, charging madly like a wild boar, no weapons just fist. The jester embraced the several blows from his attacker, feeling no pain whatsoever. When Takum had tired out the jester punched him several feet back, blood filled his mouth and fell to the ground. He wouldn't last long without any weapons; this one punch had almost taken him out completely. He quickly searched the area with his eyes looking for his blades but stopped when the jester got his attention. In one of his hands were his blades, clutched tightly so that Takum could not reach them. He decided to charge at them, almost grabbing the hilts but was thrown back by the swing of his arm. Blood now poured from his mouth; the jester appeared in front of him then kicked him in the stomach. He was now close to the edge of the world; he was then picked up by the throat and held over the edge.

"No one can save you now Takum", the jester laughed, "it is over, goodbye!" At the sound of these words a shinning blade sliced through the arm of the jester. Takum now started to fall hastily towards the data bugs, he saw an angel as he fell; he saw Balmung. As he neared them he heard a soft voice singing a hypnotic tune, in a second all the data bugs were destroyed and he was lifted back to the top. Balmung held Takum's blades in his left hand; the other held his sword tightly.

"Balmung I thought you were trying to delete me?"

"Oh I am but lets take care of this clown first, here are your weapons Takum," he handed the two blades to his partner and returned his left hand to the swords hilt.

Takum thanked him then got into a battle stance, the jester laughed at them madly as they prepared to battle him. He suddenly stopped and held out the nub of his decapitated arm into the air. In a matter of seconds another arm had grown back, they stared in fear as it grew back. Balmung was the first to attack; he swung the sword to his right side then jolted at the jester who chuckled. Takum then zoomed toward him with immense speed even faster than Balmung's; he reached the jester in a matter of seconds. Takum's blades glowed brightly then started to change shape; they lost their tri-prong form and grew into one long curved blade. These new blades were several times stronger, as he prepared to strike the bracelet appeared on the jester's wrist and shined brightly in the dark area. The jester thrust his arm forward and activated its power; Takum swung both his blades forward with all his strength. The two powerful weapons collided with tremendous force sending a giant shockwave through the area; Balmung was thrown back a few feet. A bright light was emitted from the two weapons and it consumed the entire area, when the darkness returned the jester was on his knees and Takum still standing.

The jester panted heavily, "What weapon is that? Nothing is strong enough to beat me… no this can't be!"

"You better believe it! Now die… double data drain," on his command his weapons disappeared and two bracelets appeared on his wrists.

He aimed them at the jester who stared in fear and awe, it was over and he knew it. However, he started laughing madly once again.

"So you did beat me, you're too late to stop our plan. Besides my master created me so he has much more power than me, ha, ha, ha!"

"You talk to much, die," his bracelets shined then in a matter of seconds the jester had disappeared but only to become something else.

There in front of them was a large black blob in the shape of a sphere, they were both confused. The blob started to emit lightning at fast paces; Takum ignored this and ran to the crystal prison. Balmung on the other hand was concerned; however he went to help Takum with the prison. Takum pulled weapons back out and started slashing the crystal cell, but no matter how hard he tried it would not crack. Balmung tried but to no prevail, after several minutes they both gave up.

"Having trouble with opening that," the jester's voice returned.

"Alright then I guess a little cheating isn't always bad," Balmung's sword glowed brightly then returned to normal, "I just used a code that allows me to break any objects in my way like this cell."

"Do it Balmung and quick."

"You better do it quick because if you haven't noticed, I'm a time bomb and your time is ticking," the blob laughed.

Then Balmung slashed the cell, it started to crack so he continued until it shattered completely. His friends laid on the ground unconscious, Ginger, Raiko, Nanni, and Ezra. Suddenly the ground started to tremble violently and the blob changed red and lightning flashed all over it, time was up. They grabbed hold of their friends and tried to gate out but were unable.

"He's blocking our way out, what are we going to do Balmung?"

"I don't know. This is a first for me."  
Takum then had a bright idea, "Alright Balmung I'm going to try and gate hack."

He shook his head in agreement then knelt down to his sleeping friends. Takum raised his hands to the sky and activated his bracelets, they brightened the entire area. A few moments later a white beam shot from the bracelet and up through the city above, however the bomb began to explode.

"Hold on… wait for it… hack," they were instantly transported to the upper city as the area was demolished.

A few hours later Ginger awoke a saw Takum staring up at the sky, she slowly approached him. She stood beside him and stared at the night sky as well.

"It's beautiful isn't it Takum?"

"Yeah it is, but I'm still worried about the dark hacker. He's still out there and I have no clue where he is, he's planning something and I won't be able to stop it if I don't know what it is."

"I see… well thank you for saving me… I mean us."

"You should tell that to Balmung, he went against his beliefs on cheating just to save you guys," he explained.

They stood in silence for a few moments then Ginger started back for the inn they had been put in while asleep.

"Goodnight Takum, I love you… I mean um… see you later."

He laughed and turned to wave at her, they waved for a few seconds then she left and he returned to his star gazing. Her face was red with embarrassment went she got back in the inn; she rushed to her room to rest.

"Do you like the addition of inns to the game? So now if you're tired while playing you can just sleep here. None of these players will find time in the real world."

"Is that good or bad?"

"Good for business, bad for the player's social lives," Nanni said to Raiko.

They both rested in their rooms, they were becoming quite fond of each other. Ezra talked to Balmung in the courtyard outside of the inn about the deletion of Takum. Hours later: In the real world a mansion stood on top of a large hill, in it resided a young girl who owned various computer companies. She sat in a large cushion hair that faced a fireplace, the fire was roaring wildly. An older man stood behind her, he was tall and wiry and wore a business suit.

"So the boy destroyed your virus?"

"It would seem so," the girl answered in a low tone.

"Well can you Hikaro, the dark hacker, defeat him?"

"Of course and when I'm finish THE WORLD will be all mine for the taking and then I'll be the more wealthy then the creators of this game."

"So you are driven by greed I see."

"Yes, money is greater than anything. Why do you think I sold my family into slavery? Now go my partner, it is about time you get back to them or they'll start to worry Ezra."

"Alright, I'll see you soon," he exited the mansion.

"Ha soon it will all be mine, and that boy and his friends will be all gone!"


	6. Tracking the dark hacker

Hack/Sign: Legend of the dark hacker

Chapter six: Tracking the Dark Hacker

Takum sat atop a shop in Carnina Gadelia, he stared up at the dark night sky; of course it was always dark in this area. He thought of his brother, Takuna had been his best friend; he felt strong along his side. Now he had his team which he really did not know at all, he felt more alone than ever before. He listened to the sounds of the shopkeepers sweet talking the players into buying things, and the footsteps of the many players. It had been three days since he saw the dark hacker, all he wanted was to find the dark hacker and kill him. A piece of mail appeared over his head, he opened it and saw that it was from someone he'd never seen before, it was an tall young man with bright pink hair that stood straight up, his name was Nuke Usagimaru. He was a long arm and a strange one at that, he wore bizarre blue and yellow stripped pants and shirt which only covered his shoulders, and a pair of black boots. The message read: Hello, you caused quite the commotion the other day with that fight. I've been following you ever since that incident with the Cobalt Knight Brigade. I saw that technique you used and was fascinated, so I had to follow you everywhere you went. I saw what happened to your brother as well and I'm sorry. I want to be on your team so I've left my member address in this message. I'd like to help you find the dark hacker and I have a lead, so meet me at Theta Forgotten Lost Chapel and bring as many people as you want. See you there! Takum finished the letter and was filled with excitement, he'd finally get to fight the dark hacker. He called up Ginger, Raiko, and Nanni and met them in the center of the town.

"Hey guys"

"Hey Takum!"

He told them about the message and they all agreed to go, but decided to get Ezra first. Takum called for him but recieved no answer, he left a message telling where they were going. They went to the Chaos gate and put in the password and in moments they were sent to another area. The sky was bright and the place spurred with wildlife.

Ginger approached Takum, "This place doesn't really match its name... it's beautiful here, I was expecting dark and gloomy."

"Well Takum where is this Nuke guy", Nanni asked impatiently.

"Just wait he'll be here!"

"Let's hope", Raiko said sarcasticly

A few minutes later Nuke Usagimaru appeared looking even more bizarre than his picture, "Sorry I'm late Takum, I got a little tied up. Now what are your names?"

They all said their names loud and clear but Nuke seemed to be only focused on Ginger, it was love at first sight.

"Why hello my dear, you are a sight of pure beauty, I shall supply anything you need", he bowed down and grabbed her hand.

"Well um... let's move on", Takum said as Nuke prepared to kiss Ginger's hand.

"Yes, let's get going", Ginger pulled her hand away.

Nuke directed them to a spring near the area's Dungeon. The spring was a vibrant blue with several palm trees around it, almost as if it were an oasis. Nuke approached it and said 'hello'. Out of the spring came a giant raindrop with a face on it, it spoke: "Did you lose a Golden axe or a silver axe", Nuke shook his head, "What Neither one?"

"But we did lose a player, have you seen him around?"

"Hmmm... yes I did, young fellow with long hair correct?"

"That's him!" Takum stepped up to the spring.

"Yeah but he's gone now", everyone was saddened by the news, "However I do know where he went."

"Where?"

"You have to show me that power of yours first! You... the one with the bracelets!"

Takum looked at both of the bracelets on his hands, then nodded his head; a data bug appeared, already in a project break. Takum pointed his arms forward and shouted 'double data drain'. Within seconds the data bug reassembled into a small dog. The raindrop smiled, he was clearly happy with the outcome. The dog disappeared and the raindrop started to laugh.

"Hahaha... amazing, the power of the data drain never ceases to amaze me... okay I'll tell you where he went. He... was with a dark wavemaster who was much taller, what was his name... Ezla, no Ezla, no Estar... well I can't remember. They went to Delta Forbidden Sea Walls for some sort of festival that's apparently taking place."

They all thought about what he was saying, about the dark hackers accomplice. He was obviously talking about Ezra, but they thought he was their friend. They all conversed about it back in Carnina Gadelia and came to one conclusion, he'd been lieing the entire time. They contacted Balmung and told them to meet them at the inn. He came with haste to find out the news.

"I should have know that rat was are enemy, he is a hacker after all."

"But why?" Ginger asked worriedly.

"Money probably", Raiko said dully.

"Or maybe he's just evil", Nanni guessed.

Takum was beyond angry, to him it seemed as if the dark hacker had caused him to lose both a brother and a friend, all he wanted was to get back at the dark hacker for what he had done. Balmung told them to act natural around Ezra if they saw him, Balmung would speak with the head of CC corporation to devise a plan on how to deal with him. Takum and the others did not mention the area that Ezra and the dark hacker went to. Bakmung told them not to go fight the dark hacker if they had a run in with them. Balmung gated out, the others then headed to Delta Forbidden Sea Walls. When they arrived they saw what the area really was. They all appeared on a piece of black land floating in a dark blue ocean, they looked around and saw other thousands of other islands floating around one giant mass of an island. The main island was where the festival was being held. Attached to all the islands were long metal bridges that all conectconnectede main island. Takum and the others started for the main island, when they reached it they saw that the festival was not a festival at all but a meeting for hackers.

"Ginger and I will go North, Raiko East, Nanni West, and Takum can take South", Nuke said to them, they all followed without question.

Takum wanted to be with Ginger so he could talk to her about the day she kissed him but Nuke had to tell everybody where to go first, he didn't really like Nuke much at all. Raiko made it to a dark alleyway, he strode through it slowly and was bombarded by hackers. One was a twinblade, two were long arm, and three were blade masters.

"Ello chum, give us all your stuff includin' all dat equipment", said one of the hackers.

"What is you name sir?"

"Me, I'm Junker the twinblade hacker! And I'm the one whose about to steal all your stuff, and you can't stop me!"

Raiko laughed, "You picked the wrong player to mug, I'm going to kill you all!"

Raiko unsheathed his long katana, he loved to fight. They all laughed at him, thinking he didn't stand a chance, they approached him slowly then attacked. Nanni walked into a small cavern and was quickly amused with a tussle in the back, she watched it with joy; she loved to watch weak people get beaten up. After the fight she conversed with the winner of the fight about hacking, she wanted to learn how. Nuke and Ginger walked through several doors and down many pathways and found nothing.

"Where could he be?"

"I don't know Ginger, but what do you say about us going to an area I usually hang out at, I'll tell the others to meet us there. It's in Delta Someones Blissful Twin Hills, what say you?"

"Alright", Ginger gated out and headed for the area, however Nuke did not contact the others, he chuckled a bit then gated out.

Takum searched everywhere and felt as if he was going in a circle, he finally gave up and entered a tavern. He sat at the bar and rested but then heard a very familiar voice, it was Ezra's voice. He slowly turned to see Ezra sitting in a booth in the back talking to someone he could not see. He got up and headed for the booth, half way there Ezra noticed him and said to the other, "The boy's here."

The other started, "Good I've been dieing to meet him!"

Takum reached the booth and saw that it wasn't the dark hacker but a man with a past of bad deeds yet to be known by Takum.

"Hello Takum", the man reached his wiry arm forward as if to have it shaken.

"Hello, and your name is?" Takum refused the hand shake.

"My name... is Soren... I'm a great hacker, not as good as zed enemy of yours but I'm pretty good", he pulled his hand back.

"Ezra...why were you talking with the dark hacker?"

Ezra was shocked by the question, "What are you talking about Takum?"

"You were seen with the dark hacker!"

"Hahahaha, so you've finally found out! Hmmm, I guess I have to kill you now and take your bracelets!" Ezra slashed his staff through the table and into Takum's face, sending him crashing to the floor. He slowly got up and saw that everyone was leaving except Ezra and Soren.

Soren stood up and put a hand on Ezra's staunch shoulder, "Make it quick brother, I'll be waiting with her at Theta Forgotten Lost Chapel don't be late!"

"I won't brother, this'll be quick!" Ezra created a dark energy ball at the end of his staff and pointed it at Takum's face, Soren gated out.

"Ezra...why?"

"Hahaha, why not? I am a hacker after all, my only true friends are other hackers at my level or higher, you are just a pile of waste to me!"

"Ezra...you, you lied to me, to us this entire time."

"Yes I did, is that a problem Takum?"

"Damn you, damn you to hell Ezra!"

"Enough talk, time to die!"

"No", Takum flipped backwards, evading Ezra's attack.

"Oh so it's a fight now, give me your best!"

"I'm going to kill you Ezra! You lead the protector to my brother and pretended to be my friend, I hate you!" Takum pulled out his blades and once again they transformed into his super blades by the power of the bracelet. Both bracelets appeared on his wrist, he was overcome with their power and his rage took over. This was no longer Takum but a being created by the power of the bracelets, a being with incredible power.


	7. Deleted

**Hack/Sign Legend of the Dark Hacker**

**Chapter seven**: Deleted...

The energy around Takum was so great that it was visible in a greenish-yellow color. He looked at Ezra with hateful eyes, eyes of a killer. He took up a fighting stance and prepared for a tough bout. Ezra put his staff to his side to belittle on Takum's skills, however he also knew that this was going to be a tough battle. They stared at each other for a few seconds, each of the small intervals seemed like hours.

"Any last words Takum, before I kill you?"

Takum did not answer, he could not answer for his rage and the power of the bracelets had full control on him. Suddenly Takum sprang into action, he sped at Ezra;every movement of his legs was beyond sight. In a matter of seconds Takum was in front of Ezra, slashing forward. Ezra easily blocked the attacked, then Takum sent a birage of slashes which were all easily blocked by Ezra. For some reason he had become several times faster.

"If you're wondering why I'm so much faster now", he threw Takum back a few feet, "It's because of the Dark Hacker! You see he has a way of amplifying things, like strenght and speed!"

Takum rushed at him and sent another assault at Ezra, each swipe of the blade was either dodged or blocked. Ezra then took up an offensive role and wacked Takum back to where he had began.

"Takum...you cannot win in that form, you're to angry! I wish for you to fight me at best, if I fight you like this you'll get worn out and I'll win easily; I want a challenge and until you settle down we can't have a good fight", Ezra lowered his staff and headed for the door but Takum attacked.

Ezra created a large black orb at the end of his staff and blasted Takum directly, it threw him into a wall and then exploded; destroying half of the bar. Takum tried to get up but was shot back down by a folley of attacks by the black orbs. Takum was almost done for after an assault of over 100 orbs.

He was comming to his senses, "Ezra...why ar..are you doing this...ahhhhhhhh!"

Takum fell to the ground and started to quake, the energy was fighting to be released but he held it in with all his might. Ezra ran straight towards Takum, he was going to end it with one swipe.

"I'm sorry Takum but you've given me no choice, you're too dangerous in that form so goodbye!" He slashed at Takum's head bt was blocked by a long steel sword that had a bright glow to it.

Standing before Ezra was Balmug who gave Ezra a grim stare. He then threw him to the ground and said, "I will not allow you to harm Takum!"

He stood up and laughed, "I guess the situation has gotten a little complicated, I guess I better leave."

"Wait! Ezra you are hereby under arrest for working with the dark hacker and for being a notorious hacker yourself!"

Ezra laughed, "Haven't we been through this before...I am never gonna be taken in, you got that!"

Balmung sighed then snapped his fingers and in an instant twelve large muscular CCcorp. administraters grabbed hold of Ezra and held him still. Balmung turned to Takum and leaned down.

"Are you alright?"

Takum regained his complete senses, "Yeah I'll be alright."

He stood straight up and turned back to Ezra, pointing his sword at his face, "Ezra it's time you pay for your crimes!"

"Hahahahahaha, you think these fools can hold me", he struggled about, "I am Ezra the right hand man of the Dark Hacker and I will not be taken dowm by a few administraters!" A dark aura surrounded him then completely devoured the twelve of them, he stood untouched.

"What! How did you..."

"Ha, you look dumbfounded Balmung, let me explain, my powers are greater than anything you could ever throw at me!"

Takum stood up slowly and approached Ezra, "Oh yeah how about this?" The bracelet started to shine.

"The Data Drain, you fool."

"Now take this, DATA DRAIN!" He pulled his arm back then shot it forward, it hit Ezra and then he dissappeared.

Balmung looked everywhere but saw no sign of him. Takum was confused, he lowered his arm then heard Ezra's voice.

**"Ha is that all you have, the Data Drain. You'll more than that to defeat the dark hacker...I'll be seeing you Takum, but one of your friends won't!"**

The omnipresent voice ceased and Takum became terribly worried.

"We have to find my friends Balmung, I think they might be in danger!"

"Alright let's go", they bolted through town until they found Nanniwuccu.

They explained everything to her and told her to wait at the inn until they returned. They finally found Raiko, he had just finished off the hackers that had attacked him, they wouldn't be bothering him for a long time. Though they had found both of them, Ginger was no where to be found.

Atop of small hill Ginger sat beside Nuke who stared at the sky.

"Hey are you sure they know where we are?"

Nuke didn't answer, he stood up and walked a few paces ahead then turned to her.

"I want to show you something my dear Ginger",his eyes turned red and his body transformed, he was now muscular and wore black armor and held a giant blade in his hand.

"Ahhh", she jumped up, "who are you?"

"Hmph...I am a creation of the dark hacker, his new protecter! I am afraid that it is my assignment to temporarily remove you."

"What", she jumped up and pulled out her blade but before she could strike she was blinded by a bright light, it was that of the data drain.

Takum searched around for hours but found nothing, nobody found anything. They all gave up for the night except for Takum, he stayed in THE WORLD for an extra hour but eventually gave up.

He laid in bed staring at the ceiling, something wasn't right.

"WHERE COULD YOU BE GINGER, I HAVE TO FIND YOU. I NEED YOU TO BE ABLE TO DEFEAT THE DARK HACKER, FOR SOME REASON SHE, GINGER, GIVES ME MY TRUE STRENGHT."


	8. Data Explode, Implode

**Hack/Sign: Legened of the Dark Hacker**

**Chapter eight: **Data Explode, Implode

At aproximately 12:00 am the doors to a major hospitle were pushed open by a group of three doctors wheeling in a girl who had suddenly fallen unconcious while playing THE WORLD. A young tan girl of about sixteen years old laid in the hospitle cart as it was wheeled down the hallways, the last she remembered about the game was a bright light then complete darkness. Her mind seemed to be lost in a spinning whirl of maddness, she felt as if she was still in the game but also not; as if she was between worlds. They finally came to an emergency room where they wheeled her in then slammed the doors closed.

Takum sat at the edge of his bed and stared at the floor, he was worried about Ginger, however the power had gone off at his house the night before. So he basicly was stuck outside of THE WORLD, the place she was at, a place he couldn't get to. His mother walked into their house and called him into the living room, she'd brought dinner home from some fast food restaurant. He ate quickly then went for a bike ride. As he cycled down the street he noticed an electronics store, he pull his bike over to the side and sat it beside a stop sign. He entered the store and saw that there was a news report on, he stood a few feet away from the screen and listened. A short plump reporter began in a high spunky tone, obviously fakeing it.

"In other news the CCcorperation, the creators of the game THE WORLD, are going through several law cases, whether it be the coma victims", apicture of Takum's brother and a few others were shown for a brief second, "or the fight to keep the company from being bought out by NoVa Tech. The starter of this corperation is a young millionare girl by the name Hikaro, she and her company seem content on buying out CCcorperation."

Takum felt a bad vibe when the reporter said that girls name, as if he had known her somehow.

"Also another player of the CC corp. game THE WORLD has fallen into a coma, 16 year old Rin Ginguza", another strange vibe, "parents are enraged and plan to sue the company for a tremendous sum."

Takum turned from the screen when he saw a boy jump on his bike and start off. He jolted out of the store and chased him down, through streets, alleys, and train tracks. The boy finally stopped at a tall mansion, he jumped off the bike and ran into the mansion. Takum slowed down for a second then ran on ahead. He entered the mansion and was in utter awe, he'd never seen a place that huge. He ventured through the halls for several minutes until he saw a sign with a big green arrow on it, this arrow pointed down the hall to a set of three doors. When he reached them he saw a label on each, one said love, one said friendship, and one said hate. He picked the one that said friendship seeing as he was in search of Ginger. He entered the room and saw a library filled with shelves upon shelves of books and in the center was a large chair on which sat a young woman.

"Welcome to my humble abode, I hope it is big enough", a low but respectable said to him.

"Hello my name is Takum Asurai and I'm looking for my bike and my friend Ginger."

"Hmmm...which do you want more, the girl or the bike?"

"Gingernof course! I need her!"

The young girl laughed then stood up and faced him, "Then why didn't you go through the door labled 'love'?"

"Because I don't love...love Ginger? I don't think, I mean I only know her in a game!"

"Ahh but isn't that enough? Would you fight for her?"

"Yes!"

"Kill for her?"

"Yes!"

"Die for her?"

"Ye...I don't know."

"Ha, not sure? Then why are you here? You're searching for your bike aren't you?"

"No, I want to find Ginger! I have to find her because she gives me an unmatchable strenght, I don't know what it is but whatever it is it gives me strength and hope! So I need her, I need her to defeat the dark hacker!"

The young girl started to laugh madly, "Defeat the dark hacker, hahaha, I am unstoppable!"

"What, you mean to tell me that you're the dark hacker!"

Hikaro laughed more and more, ticking Takum off. She finally stopped after he made a tight fist, "Hmmm, a fight...you couldn't beat me in THE WORLD so what makes you think that you can defeat me in the real world?"

Takum didn't answer with words, he ran straight at her and sent a fist straight into her stomach. She merely laughed at the sorry excuse for an attack. he shot a kick at her face but was blocked, threw a punch at her face but was blocked, and finally he sent birage after birage of punches and kicks, each and everyone of them was blocked easily. When he had tired out she threw him to the ground.

"Shall we watch a quick video to show you what happened to your little friend?"

"Please, where's Ginger?"

An entire shelf turned into a movie screen, he approached it and then a video started. It began with Nuke telling Ginger where to go and that he'd tell the others, of course he didn't and this very much confused him. Then he saw Nuke's transformation and when he performed the data drain on Ginger.

The dark hacker began, "Age 16, Female, name of Rin Ginguza, player name: Ginger. Hahahaha, she is now in a coma thanks to my protecter...my new one, let me intoduce you to Nova Nuke!" On the screen appeared a picture of the menacing creation of what once was a player.

"How could you do that to someone? He was innocent!"

"No! No one on this earth is innocent, I cannot do much about it in this world so I moved on to another one, a place I could unnoticeably do my job of ridding the world of worthless beings! Say for instance your brother", she pointed to the screen and their was a picture of his brother laying on a comfy bed sound asleep. You see, I have all of them, Takuna, Ginger, and many many more!"

"You, you, you monster! You don't deserve to live! How can you live with yourself?"

She chuckled, "How can you live with yourself, you should be down there with the rest of them. They are all with Aura now, and they are happy!" On te screen came a video of all the coma patients running and laughing in a large grassy plain, Aura floated in the center.

Takum didn't believe it, "You made that video, it's a lie! I don't belive you!"

"Fine, don't believe the truth, go on get out!"

Takum turned to the door, he was filled with rage and hate. He opened then door then turned to Hikaro, "One question, where is Ginger, I mean Rin, where is Rin?"

"She is in Southboarsed Hospitle but I am bringing her here for some experiments, heheheh!"

"Damn you, damn you to hell! If you hurt her I will kill you!" With that he left and the dark hacker returned to her chair.

She laughed on the inside as a tall dark man entered the room through a hidden door, it was Ezra's player.

"He has quite the temper now doesn't he?"

"Yes, it's a shame that we need him and the girl, he is a very big neusence, don't you agree Soren?"

Another tall man came in, "Yes I agree, I think I should go have some fun with him in THE WORLD, don't worry I won't kill him, just drive him to the verge of insanity, hahahaha!"

Takum made it home by Sun set, he ran to his computer and was happy to see that it was working fully. He sat down and was in THE WORLD in secomds, he arrived in Mac Anu. A notice was posted that te other servers were cut off as of now. Takum saw very few people there, he added Nanni to is party and Raiko as well. Balmung sent them a message to meet him in Delta Forgotten Blissfull Fortress.

When they arrived Balmung informed them of the problem with the other servers.

"I am afraid to say that the dark hacker is behind this, he has created theses giant data bugs in the forms of dragons, and it is only a matter of rime before he takes over Mac Anu, so I give you permission to travel into the other servers to fight against the data bugs, good luck!"

"You're not comming? We could really use your help", Takum said.

Balmung shook his head, "No I have other matters to attend to, but I am counting on you three, now go!"

As they all went back to Mac Anu to use the chaos gate to travel to the highland city of Dun Loireag , Balmung transformed into Nova Nuke who could shape shift; this was not good. When they arrived they saw that the sky was black and the dragons had destroyed almost every thing, they walked around for awhile until someone, Nanni, had to say, "It's quite, too quite." Immediately afterwards a giant data dragon appeared from the darkness.

Takum prepared his blades, Nanni prepared her claws, and Raiko prepared his blade. The data dragon took a huge chunk of the land from where they had stood. Luckily they all dodge and landed safely, Takum then activated his bracelet, pulled his arm back as the dragon jolted at him the he thrusted it forward, "Hack!" The dragon was recreated into a big butterfly which Nanni killed with one furocious strike.

"Aha we did it!" She celebrated.

"Hmmm, that was far too easy", Raiko thought.

"Yes, now we can find Ginger!"

All of a sudden the ground quaked uncontrolably, then thousands of data dragons erupted into the air, breaking off the land on which Nanni and Raiko stood, they were lost. Takum stood alone on a tiny bit of land, then they all attacked, scratchin, biteing, ripping, and tearing. When it was all over Takum fell to the ground, he was worn out and beaten to a pulp. The dragons spreaded out and planned to all slam down on him. He struggled to keep his ground, they started for him; he knew it was over and then something happened. Ginger popped into his head, she gave him a hug and a kiss then said, 'I love you Takum, please don't forget that'. He then felt an inormous impulse of energy inside him, the energy flowed visibly around him and then formed wings on his back. He sent all the power out at once forming several bright spheres to appear around him as if it was a force field. The dragons all hit the field and could not penetrate it.

"Ginger, I swear I'll find you but first I have to deal with them, ahhhhh data explosion", the spheres glowed really bright then exploded and data drained all the dragons, "Now Implode!" They were all sucked into the field and destroyed. One dragon tried to fly away but Takum saw it, he leaped into the air then used his wings and caught up with the dragon with ease. He then took one of his blades and sliced straight through it, then pulled his arm back, the bracelet glowed, and then he thrusted it forward, "Hack!" and the dragon was gone. He landed on the same small piece of ground, he pulled the energy back in then returned to normal. He remembered that his friends had fallen, he called for them but there was no answer. He returned to Mac Anu to see Soren, Ezra's brother fighting with Nanni and Raiko, he was holding them off extremely well. He was using a bo staff against them, he was some kind of wavemaster, but different from Ezra. Finally he threw Nanni and Raiko back, they were all tired out from the fight. Takum ran to their aid, after he helped them he approached Soren.

"You, I want Ginger and I know that you're working with the dark hacker, now where is she?"

"I'll tell you if you can get through my three task."

"What are they?"

"Hahaha, the first: arubics cube of pain, second: Puzzle of tretchory, and third: the labyrinth of death! Each of theses tasks can drive one insane, shall you still go through with them?"

"Yes, anything for Ginger!"

"Then let's begin, hahahaha, for you the beginning of the end, hahahahahahahaha!"

"BE WITH ME GINGER, I NEED YOU NOW! HELP ME WIN THIS FIGHT SO THAT I MAY FIND YOU AND TELL YOU HOW I FEEL!"


	9. Pain for Love

**Hack/Sign: Legend of the Dark Hacker**

**Chapter 9: Pain for Love**

Takum stood staunch in front of Soren, he was afraid but also determined, he had to accomplish his three task's to find Ginger. Soren smirked at him, he already knew the outcome, the same as anyone else he'd ever used it on; death. Soren then held his hand out in front of him, suddenly a small arubics cube appeared, it looked like any other regular arubics cube.

"Here is your first task, the:

**ARUBICS CUBE OF PAIN**

"You see, it may appear to be a regular arubics cube but then you'd be mistaken. Ha, the difference with this one is simple! With every passing minute that goes by where you haven't solved this little puzzle, you will feel pain like you've never imagined!"

Takum gulped at the sound of his words, was he really up to this task.

"So are you still ready?" He smirked at him, thinking he'd just give up then and there, but he didn't.

"Yes, I am ready for your task, give me the arubics cube!" Soren tossed the handheld puzzle to Takum, who caught it and sat down, concentrating, he had to figure the puzzle out fast.

"Begin!"

Takum started with haste, no pain for the first few seconds and then a wave of sharp pains, as if he were being stabbed thousands of times ran through his arms, it felt real and he wanted to scream then and there. He held in the pain, his eyes watering, he had to let out a loud scream. Then high powered electric shocks joined in, and then burning flames swalled his body in pain, of cousre none of this was visible. He worked diligantly through the puzzle, turning it sideways, up, and down. No combination seemed to work, and to make matters worse his fingers were being pricked over and over again by invisible tiny needles.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, it hurts so much! Ginger please help me, I need you, your help...I have to find you!"

"Giving up, Takum?"

"No way, I won't let her down like that, I refuse to just let her go!" He worked crazily on the arubics cube until the last of the terrible pain began, a deafly high pitched roar sounded in his head and would not cease. His vision started to blur and he swayed left and right, about to vommit from the sound.

Soren laughed violently, knowing that it was already over. The Takum did something unexpected, he through the arubics cube into the air, held his arm out, the bracelet glowed brightly, he pulled his arm back as the pain flowed through him, and then he shot it forward, "Hack", the arubics cube was reformed into its complete puzzle form, the pain ceased.

"What, how did you figure it out?"

Takum panted heavily and tried to catch his breath, "I...tried everything...except the( cough, cough) ... the easiest thing for me to do! So I data drained it, and now it's time for your second task:

**THE PUZZLE OF TREACHERY**

Raiko awoke in a dark silent crater, he was covered in sweat and blood. He had fallen from the top of the highland city Don Loreig, he had been cut up by some sharp rocks on his fall. He searched for Nanni but she was no where to be found. He tried to get up but he was filled with pain. A few minutes later he tried again and made it to his feet, he found a chunk of rock to lean against. He started calling out her name, he did this for several long minutes and there was no answer. He started to walk around the dark area and was shocked to see a very bright light, he ventured into the light and saw Nanni kneeling before what looked to be Aura but it was not. The fake Aura was using some sort of magic on Nanni, who thought she was being healed. However, even though the power was emmiting a warm and bright light, it was not a good force; Nanni was being drained of her energy.

"Hey you, stop that right now", he pulled out his sword and jumped at Aura, he was ready to slice straight through her.

The fake Aura turned and stopped the blade with her hand, she gave a smile to Raiko and then her face began to rip and tear, a pair of horns were now visible, it was in fact Nova Nuke the new protector. He chuckled as he held Raiko's sword, with the wounds he had, their was no chance of victory for Raiko. Nuke through him back a few feet, along with the sword. Raiko had already taken up another fighting stance, he would not allow Nuke to kill Nanni.

"I don't know who you are but I will kill you here and now!"

"Hahahaha, that's a bold statement. Can you back it up? Even with those wounds, hahaha I have an over all advantage here, so please give up!"

"Ha, cough cough cough, never you freak, I won't let you drain Nanni!" He ran towards Nuke and slashed, missing due to Nuke teleporting.

Raiko looked around and found Nuke standing a few feet away from Nanni's half drained body.

"She will be mine, I'll delete you as I did Ginger!"

"What!"

"Oh you didn't know, now you do! How do you feel?"

Raiko was angered to the point of almost exploding, he sighed, "Takum has lost two loved one's, I hate you so much! You will die right here and right now!"

"Fool, I will kill you in mere seconds!" Nuke charged directly at Raiko with a spear that appeared out of no where.

Raiko haye nothing but hate in his eyes, he stared at Nuke then zoomed at him. In mere seconds they had made contact, the spear stuck through Raiko, he dropped his sword.

"Hahahahaha, I told you I would kill you! Raiko, you are a fool..." He fell in half, Raiko had used all of his remaining strength into slashing kill with one fatal attack. He was dead, Raiko couldn't hold on much longer, he crawled over to Nanni's body, she was on the verge of death as well.

"Nanni, you might not be able to hear me but I love you! Takum you better give 'em hell! I'll see you all again, I just know it...game over."

Takum felt a bad feelimg in the back of his mind, like something bad had just happened. He forgot about it then turned back to his next task, the puzzle of treachery. He would save Ginger, he had to; that was the only option. Soren materialized a long wooden platform and sat it in front of Takum, he then game him a large sack filled with puzzle pieces, approxamately 4000. Takum poured the bag out onto the ground and waited for instructions from Soren.

"So you have passed the first task, now let's begin the second! The Puzzle of Treachery, you see this is no ordinary puzzle, there is a timer. The longer you take the more energy that is taken from you, once the time is out you will be out of energy and will therefor die! Are you ready?"

"Yes, let's begin!" A large face of a clock appeared and started ticking.

"Go!"

Takum started looking through the pile of puzzle pieces and found the four small corner pieces, then he worked inward. Within a few minutes he'd used almost 500 pieces, however he was very worn out. His energy was quickly being drained, he would have to move much faster. He searched through the pieces and placed them next to the corrisponding pieces. He was nearing the end when he noticed that his time was almost up, he had over 300 pieces left and he cold barely move. He pushed onward and placed the rest of the pieces in, his time ended right before he sat down the lat piece, he ran out of energy and dropped the last piece. He fell down onto his stomach, he coughed violently.

"Hahaha, so it is over! You were so close yet you lost, say goodbye to Ginger with the last of your words!"

"N, n, no! I...can't let this be the...the end", he started to get back up, "I will never give up, this isn't over yet!"

"Impossible! The time is up, y, y, you should be dead! This is not possible!"

"You better believe it Soren, when I'm fighting for Ginger, nothing can stop me!" He placed the final piece in, the puzzle was that of Aura floating above Mac Anu.

Soren started to quake, the clock broke into thousands of small pieces. Takum stood all the way up, it was as if he had a reserved amount of energy that he was saving for this moment. He stood up straight and proud, he was ready for the final task, he was so close to getting Ginger back.

"Hahahahaha, it matters not! You will certainly fall to this last task, only two people have every gotten through it, my master, the dark hacker, and Takuna!"

"Brother!"

"Yes he got through all three task, to save someone he loved very dearly as well! Hahahaha, he fought so hard for someone who did not even exist in the real world! He fought for Aura, his love hahaha what a fool! He did reach Aura, however she did not know what love was, she is not real like us! That is why he traveled around becomming such a great swordsman! Now he's dead and no longer matters!"

"SHUT UP! Don't you say another word about my brother, he was greater then you could ever be! He fought for something greater than you could ever know or feel, he fought for love as I do now!"

Takum pulled out his blades and rushed at Soren who pulled out his bo staff, Takum slashed many times, each attack was easily blocked. Soren through him back and prepared to throw the last task at him.

"Prepare for the end Takum, the last task, hahahahahahaha **THE LABYRINTH OF DEATH**!" Soren shot a small green blast out of his bo staff, the blast hit the ground and made it shake violently. Suddenly the ground became walls of a huge maze that strechted for miles. Soren stood above the wall in front of Takum and laughed.

"This maze is full of twist and turns that will drive most insane, it is also full of perilous traps so if you make the wrong move, you will die! Hahahahahaha!" He disappeared.

Takum was not willing to figure out this maze, his blades morphed into the powerful blades they had changed into during his fight with the jester. He ran straight and cut through all the walls in his path, Soren was quickly angered and decided to activate a few traps. Spikes shot out of walls, longs fell from the sky, and fire filled the maze. Takum managed past all of these things, however he was beaten pretty badly. Combined with his earlier wounds he was wounded to the point of near death. He was finally at the exit and a final trap sprang upon him, it was Soren himself.

"Hahahaha, you got through that very easily, if it weren't for your special abillities you would've certainly died! It matters not, I will kill you here and now!" Soren ran at Takum with the bo staff, he slashed down and was quickly blocked, he sent a flurry of jabs and slashes at Takum, all were easily blocked, and finally he shot hundreds of energy balls at him. Takum rushed at the volley of energy balls and slashed them all into pieces and ran straight into Soren, sending his blades into his stomach. Soren jumped backwards and fell to his knees in pain, the walls disappeared and the original setting returned.

"Ah, how are you so powerful, I should be beating you, you should be out of energy, you should be dead!"

"You know what's wrong with that sentence? Way to many shoulds!" Takum slashed down with his blades and sent a golden wave at Soren, he was hit in seconds and through into a side of a shop.

"Ahhhhh, Ezra please help me, brother!"

Ezra appeared from a portal, "How sad, I thought you'd be able to take him on, I gave you way to much credit!"

"Ezra, now we can finish are fight! No interuptions this time!"

"That's funny, I would've won last time without Balmung's interuption! Now I'll defeat you," Ezra materialized his staff into his hand and prepared to fight, " however, I am sure he's on his way here. So let's make this a quick fight!"

"Fine, let's go Ezra, you'll pay for betraying me!" He zoomed at Ezra, within seconds he had hit Ezra several feet back. Ezra was in shock by his speed and power, he knew he could not win this fight. He had to use his trump card. Takum slashed at Ezra and missed, he teleported to Takum's back and jabbed the fromt of his staff into his back.

"Now it's over!" He shot a blue beam into his back, Takum lost control of his muscles and completely relaxed his body.

"What the hell is going on, I can't move my arms!"

"Hahaha, a little spell of mine, called Ap Torm, it's a paralyzing spell Takum!" Now I can transport you easily back to the Dark Hacker.

"No, damn you Ezra! Where's Ginger?"

"Hahaha, she's been deleted. as for her human form, Rin hahaha! Let's just say that she'll be asleep for quite some time! In other words, you won't see her again!"

"No! Ezra I hate you, you damn traitor! Once this spell wears off I'll kill you!"

"I don't thinks so, you see while you're under my spell I can beat the living crap outta you", Ezra started to beat Takum with his staff violenlty.

This beating lasted for several minutes berfore Ezra stopped and went to his brother's aid. He helped him up and told him to log out. After Soren was gone, Ezra approached Takum who was now unconcious.

"Hmmm, you are truly stronger than the Dark Hacker herself! It's a good thing that all of your hidden strenght will be given to the master, then she will be like a god over THE WORLD, hahaha and then I'll shut down THE WORLD, takeing her and this disgusting place along with it!"

Ezra then grabbed Takum by the collar and prepared to log out with him, however Balmung gated in.

"Halt Ezra! You will not take him!" Balmung zoomed at Ezra and slashed him his side open.

"Ahhhh, damn you", Ezra stubbled back a few feet, "You've ruined everything once again, I cannot beat you in this weak form but next time I will kill you and take Takum to my master!"

"Never, I shall always stand in your way hacker!"

"You'll get yours Balmung, you just wait, I'll delete you myself!" He gated out.

Balmung took Takum back to the inn and laid him in a bed, he went outside and stared at the stars; he felt as if something terrible was about to happen to THE WORLD.

A/N: I hoped you liked it, the next chapter will have much more action in it and it will have some suprising twist so please review and keep on reading. The next chapter: **Blood of Aura, Takuna's return!**


	10. Blood of Aura, Takuna's Return

**Hack/Sign: Legend of the Dark Hacker**

**Chapter 10: Blood of Aura, Takuna's Return**

Takum sat outside the Inn in which Balmung had carried him, his mind was scattered after being beaten so badly in the fight against Ezra. He breathed in deeply, the farce air of THE WORLD; he held his breath for a while as Raiko and Nanni appeared in his mind. He wondered where they could be then exhaled and released all the air he had breathed in. Takum waited on the stairs outside the Inn for a few more minutes then stood up, he sent mail to both Raiko and Nanni, asking where they had gone. He began his way towards the chaos gate, past many PC's who babbled about the destruction and closing off of Dun Loireag. The battle with the data dragons popped into his mind and he recalled the use of the data explode and implode. As he reached the chaos gate, a tall man in all black appeared behind him, the man had a black hat on, and small, circular, black glasses on. The man started, "You're Takum correct?" He said it as if it was meant to be rhetorical, "Then again…I already know it's you."

Takum quickly turned to face him, his blades already ready for a fight, "Just tell me who the hell you are?"

"I can be known as Yata…I am no one to concern yourself with so please put your weapons away. I am working with CC corp. on a new project that has just begun in development, it's called G.U. Anyways, I am to take you to take you to Balmung at the CC corp. area ∑ Imperial Boundless Fort Walls."

"Sigma, I've never heard of areas that begin with sigma…and how do I know that you don't work for the Dark Hacker, huh?" Takum questioned the man.

"I guess you'll just have to trust me and it's about a girl named Rin, but you might better know her as-" Takum cut him off.

"Ginger…alright I'll follow you, but if you try anything funny I'll strike you down."

Yata nodded with a fake smile then headed to the chaos gate and entered the keywords ∑ Imperial Boundless Fort Walls. In a few moments they were transported to a large city that was surrounded by gigantic stone walls, the sky was dark and gloomy. Takum looked around at the colossal city then to Yata and asked, "Where's Balmung…how do we find him in such a big city?"

"Don't worry…heh, he'll find us. You see we have just developed a machine known as the 'Serpent of Lore', it is a monitor of everything that happens in THE WORLD and I will be operating it once G.U. commences in full action."

Balmung appeared behind them with a smile, "Takum, its good to see you up and moving again, thank you Yata." After hearing this, Yata nodded then started down a long road towards a tall tower in the center of the city that reached the sky. Takum looked to Balmung and then they followed Yata down the road. After passing countless houses and empty market places they reached the tower, at the entrance were two men in knights armor whom both carried spears. The two knights began in unison as the three of them approached, "Stand your ground, this is CC corp. private property, only administrators and allotted members may enter." Yata held out a long black card that had a CC corp. logo at the top and a special 7-digit number at the center, the knights scanned the card from a distance then allowed them to enter the tower. Inside, they saw a hallway that split into two other hallways, at the end of the main hallway was a large elevator. They made their way into the elevator and up seventy stories, the elevator stopped with a loud, "DING!" As soon as the doors opened, Yata and Balmung rushed in front of Takum and headed down another hallway side by side. Now behind them, trying to keep up with their hasty pace was Takum who wanted only to know about Ginger. The two ahead of him stopped at a large door at the end of the hallway then Yata slid the black card from earlier into a small, nearly invisible slit along side the side of the door. The door slid to the side and revealed a large room. At the center of the room was a small floating sphere that emitted a bright light, on the walls were screens showing different areas of THE WORLD. "Welcome to the Serpent of Lore Takum." Yata said as they approached the floating sphere. They gathered around the sphere then glanced at each other, Balmung put his hand on Takum's shoulder and gave a reassuring nod.

"Why are we here?" Takum questioned Yata.

"How else would you suggest locating the Dark Hacker, hmm? This is the fastest and easiest way to find whatever one is searching for in THE WORLD." Yata put his hand above the sphere and it started to slowly spin and grow brighter. Then he stated the name of the one he was looking for and the sphere made a loud humming noise, Takum watched eagerly. In a matter of seconds the sphere slowed to a stop and then a screen appeared before them. A scene of the Dark Hacker standing at the edge of a river in an area popped up, a few feet from him was Ezra. They watched for a few seconds then the name of the area was given: Ω Forgotten Holy Twin Hills. Takum clenched the hilts of his blades tightly then started, "Come on lets go."

"Wait, Takum what about your other friends…we should look for them as well." Balmung told him, Takum nodded in agreement.

Yata started a new search then asked the names of the ones they were searching for. After a few seconds of searching the names Raiko, Nanni, and Ginger appeared on the screen, under their names were the words, "Now Searching." Takum watched the screen intently and awaited the results. After a few minutes of searching their pictures popped up on screen, however live feed could not be given.

"Where are they Yata?"

"Takum, this doesn't seem right…it says that they are in Mac Anu."

"Mac Anu…alright then I'm going there right now-" Takum was cut off by a stern shout from Yata.

"WAIT! I'm getting no signal from that town, it's as if it's been cut off from the rest of the servers."

"What about Carnina Gadelia, is there still a signal coming from that town?" Balmung inquired.

Yata checked quickly then frowned, "It's extremely faint…now it's gone, do you think the Dark Hacker is behind this?"

Before anyone could answer, the voice of the Dark Hacker sounded from the screen before them. They listened in disbelief, for he had hacked THE WORLD. "As you probably now know, all three towns have been cut off from the rest of the servers and areas, and as of now…I control the Serpent of Lore!" He laughed madly as an electric shock shot out of the sphere and into Yata, he was sent into a nearby wall and fell unconscious. Takum started for Yata but stopped when he heard the demented chuckle of the Dark Hacker, "Hello again Takum…it's truly been quite some time, how have you been? No don't answer that question, I went ahead and called you to tell you that I will be waiting in The Tainted City of Mac Anu for you to fight me! If you wish to see any of your dear friends again I suggest you be there soon, and I know you'll find a way in hahahahahaha!" The message ended and the screen went black, Takum ran to Yata's side.

"Is he going to be okay Balmung?"

"I think so, lets leave him here to rest for now, we need to settle this business with the Dark Hacker once and for all!" Takum agreed and they made their way out of the tower. When they made it outside they noticed that the two guards were gone. Balmung pulled out his sword when a loud roar sounded from somewhere in the city, "Data Bugs!"

"Alright, where are they!" Takum was ready to fight.

From the sky a Data dragon roared, they quickly spotted it and prepared for the fight that was about to begin. It dived down towards them and roared, Takum transformed his blades into the ones that were enhanced by the power of the bracelets. He was engulfed in a bright yellow flame of energy that quickly receded into his body, then he bolted up the side of the tower at an immense speed and yelled at the top of his lungs. The Data dragon was now before him and he slung his right blade forward and it shot straight through its body, making it fall to the ground in two halves. Takum caught his blade as it fell backwards, he glided to the ground and landed with ease. Balmung stared in amazement but gave out a loud shriek of pain as a spike shot through his stomach. The spike evaporated into data and Balmung fell to his knees. Takum was at his side in a fraction of a second, he caught Balmung as he began to fall forward. Behind Balmung was a gigantic Data bug that had spikes jutting out of its back and arms. The colossal beast started towards them and let out a deafening roar that shook the ground. Takum laid Balmung on the ground and gave him a healing potion, "Alright…now it's my turn to protect you!" He ran towards the beast faster than he had ever run before, it was as if the power of the bracelets were constantly enhancing his character. A stream of energy began to trail behind Takum as he ran faster and faster. The giant Data Bug shot thousands of spikes down at him, however as they neared him they evaporated into data. "My body is Data Draining all the attacks…how?" Takum thought as he reached the beast and ran up the front of it, he stabbed his blades inside of the Data Bug and dragged them all the way up and pulled them out when he reached the semi-flat surface of its head. Takum pulled his right arm back then shot it forward and screamed, "HACK!" A beam shot from his bracelet and ripped through the body of the data bug, once it reached the ground only a purple cactus remained. Takum slashed through it within seconds and landed softly on the ground. A screen popped up behind him and clapping sounded that was soon accompanied by the voice of the Dark Hacker. "Very good show Takum, however you better hurry up or your friends will be dead like Balmung!" Takum quickly turned around and saw a Data Bug above Balmung's body, the Data Bug began to glow and then it self destructed; completely destroying everything around it within several feet.

"No…Balmung, you, you did this Dark Hacker, you bastard!" Takum yelled at the screen as it turned black, he fell to his knees and felt tears stream down his face in the real world. All of a sudden he was surrounded by thousands of Data Bugs, he peered around the small circle that he knelt in and sighed. "DATA EXPLODE!" A wave of energy blasted out of his body like it had in Dun Loireag, the Data Bugs were all transformed into smaller creatures. "IMPLODE!" The wave reversed its path and deleted all the small creatures and then returned to Takum's body. He slowly stood up then pointed his right arm to the sky, a portal opened and he gate hacked his way into Mac Anu. He fell from the portal and landed on the roof of a shop that was in ruins. He peered out into the once splendid city of Mac Anu and saw that it was now truly tainted. The rivers were black, the sky was gray and the area went through a brief static surge every few minutes; this town had become corrupted. Takum jumped to the ground, he peered around at all the buildings and saw that the town was in ruins. "What did he do to this place?" He questioned in his mind.  
As he reached the bridge that connected to the Chaos Gate, the ground began to shake wildly. Takum watched in horror as a gigantic temple rose into the sky, under the temple was another colossal Data Bug. He stood his ground and prepared for any sort of attack, at the top of the temple sat the Dark Hacker on a large throne. Beside him stood Ezra and Soren, down below, Takum powered up as he had in the fight with the other Data Bugs. The Dark Hacker laughed madly at the top of the temple then shouted, "Come on up Takum, we've been waiting!" Energy swelled up behind Takum and the energy shaped itself into a pair of wings, he took off in an instant and flew to the top of the temple. When he landed before the three of his enemies the energy wings returned to his body.  
He peered into the Dark Hackers eyes with hate, "Where are my friends!?"

"Heheheheh, your friends are right here", he waved his right hand to the side and they appeared each inside a container made of data. "Raiko, Nanni, and Ginger…here they are Takum but I'm not just going to hand them over of course."

"What do you want!?"

"Heh, I simply ask that you hand over the bracelets to me so that I may have unlimited power over this world!"

Takum gulped then looked down at the glowing bracelets on his arms then up to his friends and back and forth a few times. "I…can't do that, so I'll just take them by force!" Takum jumped at the Dark Hacker and prepared to slash through him but was stopped by a blue blast of energy from Ezra, he was sent back a few feet and then onto his stomach.

"You remember this don't you Takum, the paralysis spell I used on you in our previous battle. You were a fool to attempt such a feat! Now we'll simply take the bracelets from you and your friends will be deleted." Ezra said in a humorous tone as he approached Takum's paralyzed body.

"No…I can't let it end like this…" He spoke his last words before the paralysis took full effect.

"Thank you for handling that nuisance Ezra, now bring me the bracelets!" The Dark Hacker demanded.

"Alright, alright, alright!" Ezra bent down and grabbed the bracelets he tried pulling them off but they seemed stuck, he tried as hard as he could and they began to slip off. Right before they were at his fingers, they shined brightly then shot Ezra back a few feet. The bracelets slid back to Takum's wrist then emitted an energy that engulfed Takum in a protective field. Ezra summoned his staff and shot a dark energy ball at the field, it was deleted before making contact.

Suddenly, the Dark Hacker sprang from his throne and sent the Data Blade through the field and into Takum's chest. The longer that his blade stayed in, the more corrupted Takum's data became and his character began to break up into smaller pieces of data. His character was now almost completely broken up into simple data when a bright light appeared before the Dark Hacker, it pushed him away from Takum; whose data reconfigured itself. Out of the bright light came Aura who floated slowly towards the Dark Hacker who quickly backed away. Ezra and Soren watched in amazement as their leader quaked in fear of the girl. She began in a soft and omnipresent voice, "Why have you corrupted this world, it was once very beautiful then you distorted it, why? You are the bearer of a weapon that was not meant to be…the Data Blade…was never meant to-" She was cut off by the yells of the Dark Hacker.

"Shut up! Shut up! I don't care…you won't ruin what I have created and what is to come…I won't let you!" He shot his arm forward and stabbed into Aura. Her data began to distort itself as it had with Takum, however something strange happened. A stream or black blood leaked from her wound and fell to the ground, a puddle had formed before the Dark Hacker quickly removed his blade. "Goodbye…Aura." A small smile formed on her face and then she was became nothing more than tiny bits of data that floated away. The Dark Hacker turned his gaze back to Takum then took a step forward, his foot landed in the black blood. All of a sudden a wave of black lightning shot the Dark Hacker into the sky. He released a shout of pain as he was sent into the air. Soren appeared behind him then teleported with him back to the top of the temple. The blood shot out a huge beam of black energy that became as wide as an average doorway. From this doorway of energy stepped out none other than Takuna. The black energy dissolved and there stood Takum's brother with a long katana that had a golden hilt.  
He turned to his younger brother, "Are you okay?"

Takum body had recovered, thanks to the power of the bracelet, from the paralysis of Ezra's spell. "Yeah, I'm fine now…lets end this together!" They turned to their three enemies and smirked.

"Ha, forgetting about your friends are you Takum! Now you've lost them forever", with a wave of his hand, the Dark Hacker sent his friends data containers into the black rivers of Mac Anu. "This town will be completely deleted in ten minutes, and there's no way either of you can get past us in that amount of time, ahahahahahahahahaha!"

Takum shot forward at the Dark Hacker and their blades clashed with each other, "I'll cut right through you!" He pushed the Dark Hacker to the edge of the temple.

Takuna stepped forward to help his brother but stopped when Ezra and Soren stepped in front of him. Ezra laughed, "Looks like its us against you…there's no way you can possibly win!" Ezra shot a volley of black energy balls at Takuna who slashed with immense speed and precision, cutting them all in half as they approached. Soren appeared behind Takuna and sent the exact same assault at him from behind. Now Takuna moved even faster and slashed all of the incoming attacks in half. Soren and Ezra sent more and more attacks at an even greater speed.

Takum and the Dark Hacker fought at the exact same level, each attack was easily blocked by the other. Finally Takum slashed his blades down and sent a wave of energy that was too powerful for the Dark Hacker who was thrown off the temple and into the city. Takum's energy wings reformed and he flew down to the river and remained just above it, searching for any signs of the bright green data containers. He spotted one in the distance and bolted towards it, he grabbed the container and flew it to a nearby roof, inside was Raiko. Takum quickly returned to his search and found another container, he grabbed it and saw that it was Ginger. As he flew upward a shockwave sent him crashing into a nearby bridge, Ginger's container fell back into the black river. Takum slowly got up but was hit by another shockwave and sent back to the ground. The Dark Hacker flew with energy wings of his own and had sent the shockwaves from his Data Blade. He landed beside Takum and put his right foot on his head and pressed down, "How does it feel boy! Knowing that you were too weak to save anyone, knowing that you let THE WORLD and everyone in it be controlled by a sinister ruler such as myself, huh? How does it fell Takum?"  
He pressed harder down on his head and Takum let out a scream of pain then released a wave of energy that sent the Dark Hacker through a nearby building. Takum slowly got to his feet then flew back down to the river and located another container, this time he picked it up and it was Nanni. He carried her container to a building then returned to his search, however the Dark Hacker was already on Takum's tail. Once again a shockwave hit Takum, he was shot into the black water. He quickly resurfaced and flew into the air. As soon as Takum was in the sky, the Dark Hacker rammed into his side with the Data Blade. Takum was sent crashing into a weapons shop, he struggled to get up but was sent back to the ground by several shockwaves from the Dark Hacker. He landed before Takum and laughed again, "Looks like we're in the same position that occurred only moments ago." He lowered himself to a crouch and raised his blade to Takum's chest and slowly pushed it in, Takum let out a loud scream of pain as the blade went further and further. "You're brother can't save you now, you're all alone-" he was cut off by the puncture of a blade through his chest.

"You know what's funny, I did just save him!" Takuna picked the Dark Hacker up with his blade and flung him into the air. "Take this!" Takuna's body began to glow, then he shot up into the air and rammed into the Dark Hacker. A bright ball of energy consumed the Dark Hacker and sent him further into the air and then it exploded and filled the sky with light. He had beaten Ezra and Soren just in time to make it to his brothers aid. Takuna returned to his brother and gave him a potion, he helped Takum to his feet and let him resume his search for Ginger.

Takum soared through the sky and peered down at the river, and then he saw what he couldn't believe, Soren and Ezra both holding the Data Container on the top of a building. Takum landed in front of them, "Ezra…I know that there's good in you, please let me save my friends!" Ezra let Soren hold on to the Container and he approached Takum.

"Look around, do you see what we have done…soon all my hopes and dreams will be fulfilled and I will rule over this entire world! Ahahahahahahahahaha!" Ezra's body transformed into the Dark Hacker's.

"What? How did you do that?"

"You see Takum, I switched places with Ezra as soon as I felt your brother's presence behind me!"

"Wait, then where is my brother!?" Soren questioned him.

The Dark Hacker raised his shoulders, "Maybe dead but who really cares."

Soren roared in anger, he dropped Ginger's container to the ground below and rushed towards the Dark Hacker with his bo staff and attacked several times. Each attack was quickly and easily blocked, the Dark Hacker laughed at Soren's desperate attempt. As they fought, Takum jumped down to the ground and found Ginger's Data container broken open. He looked down into the container and noticed that she was unharmed. He smiled then turned his attention to the roof when he heard the resounding last shriek of Soren. Takum watched as his data floated off into the air and thought, "I have to end this." He jumped back up to the roof and pulled out his enhanced blades, he then shouted, "Data Blades!" They morphed once more and now resembled the Dark Hackers weapon only in a twin blade form. He laughed at the transformation and ran towards Takum.

"This is for Soren and Ezra!" Takum was in front of his enemy within a less than a fraction of a second, he stabbed both Data Blades into the Dark Hacker. "This is for Raiko and Nanni!" He started running with the Dark Hacker on the end of his blades, he lifted off when he reached the end of the roof. Then a strong current of electricity blasted into the Dark Hackers body, he let out a painful squeal. "This is for Balmung!" He carried the Dark Hacker higher and higher into the sky, the current of electricity grew stronger and stronger; inflicting more and more pain. "This is for Ginger!" He stopped in the air then dived back towards the city with the Dark Hacker at the end of his blades, Takum screamed in anger as they plummeted down to the city that laid in ruins. With a loud bang that shook the ground, they crashed into the temple that the Dark Hacker had created. The Data Bug that was carrying it was deleted, and now only a large crater remained. Takum held his blades inside the Dark Hacker, whose data was evaporating at a quick pace. "And this…this is for everyone!" A bright light shot out from the blades and engulfed the entire crater in a dome of energy. Takum charged every ounce of energy left in his body into the blades then screamed, "Hack!" The dome of energy busted and a beam of light shot into the sky, when the beam dissipated only a small faction of the Dark Hacker's data remained. Takum left the blades, which were now thoroughly stuck in the ground, in their place.

Words began out of the Dark Hacker's mouth, "Heh…you fool, by Data Draining me…you have released a force that…not even the Data Bugs can…hahahaha…you have unleashed a terror that will engulf THE WORLD."

"Shut the hell up and die already…" Takum said in a livid tone.

The Dark Hacker was now completely gone, his data hadn't lifted to the sky like the others, it had just ceased. The town began to shake uncontrollably and several rips appeared in the sky, revealing a black space that was graphed by green squares. Takum remembered about the ten minutes and quickly flew back to Ginger's container, he pulled her out and carried her over to the roof that Nanni was on. Takuna appeared with Raiko's container, "We have to get out of here Takum!"

"Yeah…but I used up the last of my…energy with that attack and bringing Ginger over here…I can't gate hack out of here…I'm sorry…I failed…" Takum fell to his knees. His brother put Raiko's container down then caught his brother before he fell flat on his face.

"Come on, you can do this…I'll help you, take my energy Takum!" Takuna's body began to glow and then his energy began to stream into his brother's body. He stopped the flow when he felt weak, "Now…you should be able to get us out of here."

"Alright…I'll try Takuna! Gate Hack!" Takum raised his right arm to the sky and shot out a beam, a portal began to open but was then canceled out by some unknown force.

"Damn…it didn't work. Then this is the only option…Takum when you awaken from your coma I'll be waiting in THE WORLD…"

"Wait, Takuna what are you thinking!?"

Takuna smiled then created a data container for Ginger and Takum, as it formed around his body, Takum struggled to get out and save his brother. "Goodbye…for now my brother." He fell unconscious and the area around them began to be dissolve. A couple miles away, Ezra laid on the ground and moaned in pain. He watched helplessly as the blackness devoured his character and was deleted.

Everything around Takum and the containers was black and Takuna's body was slowly deleted. The darkness tried to devour the containers but could not prevail. Takum felt as if his connection with the real world was slowly fading, he turned to Ginger and gave a weak smile. He began to speak but his voice felt disconnected and his mind was slowly slipping from consciousness. So he pulled her close and gave her a long kiss, in his mind the words formed: _I love you Ginger…_

"THEN EVERYTHING WENT BLACK AND I DID THE ONLY THING I COULD DO; I SLEPT…I SLEPT A SEEMINGLY ENDLESS SLEEP…"

A/N: Tune in next time for Chapter 11: Seven Years of Sleep…


	11. Seven Years of Sleep

Hack/Sign: Legend of the Dark Hacker

**Hack/Sign: Legend of the Dark Hacker**

**Chapter 11: Seven Years of Sleep**

"EVERYTHING HAD CHANGED SINCE THAT DAY…SO LONG AGO WHEN THE WORLD WAS PLUNGED INTO DARKNESS…SEVEN YEARS HAVE PASSED AND THE WORLD HAS BEEN REVIVED AND IMPROVED. I REENTERED THE WORLD TO FIND MYSELF LOST AND CONFUSED, MY FRIENDS…RAIKO, NANNI, AND GINGER ARE GONE. THROUGHOUT MY SEVEN YEAR COMA WE LOST EACH OTHER AND MY BROTHER…VANISHED FROM THE WORLD AND REMAINS IN AN ENDLESS SLEEP."

The great city of Mac Anu bustled with chatter of the players of THE WORLD; however those who watched from above remained silent. An invisible room above the city was created to keep watch over the players and happenings of the area. Within this room was one control panel that stretched around the corners of the wall, two NPC's created by CCcorp. handled the control panel. In the center of the room sat a man in a black chair, he had dark red hair that reached his chin in length. He wore all black armor and had what looked like THE WORLD version of a rapier tied at his waist. All around the room were screens of different places in the city. He scanned them intently, the room was filled with silence; suddenly he caught sight of it on the screen to the far right. He watched as a player was being ruthlessly beaten by two other players in an alley, each having giant chainsaw swords. The man sitting in the chair gave a quick frown then teleported from the room and to the entrance of the alley. He arrived right as the two players pointed their blades at the other player's face. The man shouted, "By order of CCcorp. I demand that you unhand that player and surrender your character data!"

One of the players, a tall girl laughed and pointed her blade at him, "Just who the hell do you think you are…messing with the destructive duo of Tai and Mizu! Huh, who are you?"

"I am CCcorp. administrator Nicholi and you will comply with my orders!"

"Like hell we will", the other player, a tall man shouted then pointed his sword at the man as well, "Heh…if you want to stop us, come defeat us!"

"Very well." He pulled his rapier out from its sheath, vanished from sight, appeared behind the two players, and then returned his blade to its sheath. The two players fell to their knees and dropped their weapons to the ground. "Despicable PK's…now as I said, you'll turn in your character data." His right hand began to glow with a light blue light, he waved it over both of their bodies and they vanished. Nicholi turned to the player who had been attacked and held out his hand, "You okay kid?"

"Yeah…they just roughed me up, probably because of this cool bracelet that I got on this secret quest that I was on." The boy showed Nicholi a small golden bracelet made of data that encircled his wrist.

"That bracelet…where did you say you found it?"

"Oh, after playing for about two hours, I got this random message telling me to go to the area ∆ Forbidden Golden City Streets and then I found this city in ruins, their were all these canals too. It reminded me a lot of Mac Anu, just smaller and destroyed; anyways I went their and found this statue of a twin blade character holding this girl player tight in his arms. I approached the statue and heard the light voice of what seemed to be a young girl singing. At that moment, a bright light shot out of the statue and into my character and this bracelet appeared!"

"Interesting, what is your name?"

"Oh my name's Rain, do you need to know anything else Mr. Nicholi?"

"…oh no everything you told me is just fine; however don't be surprised if you see me around often. I want to keep an eye out for that bracelet, okay?"

"Oh okay, that's fine with me, well I'll seeya around then." He made his way past Nicholi and headed for the chaos gate. Nicholi stared at the sky then thrusted himself into deep thought as a strong virtual wind brushed past him.

Rain appeared in ∆ Forbidden Golden City Streets once more and peered around at the desolate city that once was Mac Anu. He made his way through the wreckage on an undefined pathway; he was searching for the statue he'd seen earlier. However, it had vanished from where it originally was. Rain looked around then scratched his head, he was clearly confused. The bracelet began to glow and he looked down at it, "What are you exactly?" A strange noise sounded around him, the sound of a static distortion in the area, first slow and then faster. "What's that noise?" He glanced at his surroundings as he questioned the noise, suddenly another noise began; this one was much stranger. The new noise sounded like the bubbling of a thick liquid and started slow then sped up as well. Rain started to walk around again in an attempt to investigate the noise; however he stopped when he saw the black orbs bubbling in the distance. It hit him, the bubbling noise and the black orbs were none other than AIDA. He backed away as the orbs came closer to him, "H-h-h-how can this be possible, AIDA was removed from the game…I thought that G.U. group defeated it, how could this be?" As he back away, AIDA approached with slightly greater haste. Then Rain backed into a large brick from one of the destroyed buildings and fell backwards. As soon as he landed on the ground, AIDA bolted towards him with immense speed. "Ahhhhhh, no please don't!" He held his arms in the way, a poor attempt at blocking. Right when AIDA reached him, the bracelet shined brightly and AIDA vanished. Rain put his arms down and scanned the area to assure himself of his safety. He quickly got to his feet then saw a man in the far distance; the man had all white hair and wore an all white suit that PC's normally didn't wear. The man stared at Rain for a while then turned away, a swarm of AIDA absorbed his body and he disappeared. Rain pondered what he'd just witnessed for a while then returned to Mac Anu, night was approaching as he arrived in the city. He received a message from one of his friends, well his only friend, the message stated: _Hey Rain, if you're not doing anything right now then you should come watch the fireworks with me tonight at the harbor! _His friends name was Rin, she was a much more experienced player than he, and she'd been around in the game before. However, she couldn't remember much after going into a coma, following the remake of THE WORLD she felt safe enough to return.

Rain arrived at the harbor as soon as he could; he was delighted to see his friend sitting at the waters edge watching the sky. He slowly crept up behind her then released a loud, "BOO!" She jumped from her sitting position and summoned her broad chainsaw sword. Rain jumped back and pulled out his gun to block in case of an attack. He had a long red and black gun, resembling a rifle, with a sharp bayonet at the tip of it. Once she recognized who he was, she dismissed her weapon. He did the same and gave her a quick wave followed by laughter from both of them. They both sat down at the waters edge and stared to the sky; Rain turned his gaze to her after a while then told her about what happened to him. She turned to him and enquired about something he said, "AIDA…what's that?" After a thorough explanation of the anomaly in the game and its removal from the game, came another question from Rin. "How did it come back into THE WORLD?"

"I'm not sure…but that guy I saw, maybe he has something to do with it all. Oh and this bracelet saved me from AIDA."

"Bracelet, can I see what it looks like?"

"Sure you can, here you go!" He put his wrist up in the air and the bracelet started to glow very dimly. Rin stared at the bracelet for a while and then she heard a voice whisper in her ear the name:_ Ginger. _

"Its very interesting, I don't know from what but I remember something like that…but where, where is that from…hmm."

"Oh, you mean something from when you used to play the game. I wonder if you saw this before, hey anything's possible."

"And the names Ginger and Takum keep popping into my head…anyway, the fireworks are about to begin!"

Rain and Rin turned their gazes back to the sky as fireworks soared through the sky. Behind the two stood Nicholi and a young man who was a twin blade player, the two of them conversed under the loud boom of the fireworks. "Takum…how long has it been since then?"

"Seven Years…I've been in a coma the whole time, however I already know about the G.U. group and AIDA. What I really what to know about is my brother and Ginger, has anything come up about them Balmung?"

"Don't use that name other than in messages please, we've all changed since that time and I'd rather not reflect on it. Now you're brother hasn't showed up whatsoever, but Ginger on the other hand…I think we might have tracked her down."

"Really, where can I find her…seven years have passed, I wonder if she still remembers everything."

"You're not going to like hearing about this, we found a character by that name…she's the same class and has a close character design, but she's a PKK."

"What, why would she be a PKK?"

"It has been seven years, maybe she's different now. The problem is Takum, PK's are unacceptable and even if she's a PKK, it's the same thing and she must be dealt with soon."

"Alright, just give me her location the next time she logs in and I'll go sort everything out."

Atop the clock tower in the center of Mac Anu stood the man in all white, beside him was a young lady with reddish blonde hair, she sat at the edge of the roof. He watched the fireworks with a blank stare, the girl held a grin on her face. The man held out his right hand, a stream of AIDA swarmed around it and then he began to laugh. "Fools…they are so oblivious to what's coming, and you my dear…have a score to settle."

"Ha, yes I do…and now that he's back I'll do what I failed to do seven years ago and THE WORLD will be ours."

"I and AIDA are your servants me liege, you released us back into THE WORLD…and you may use us as you please."

"Let's put this little celebration to a close, I think you and AIDA should make a brief appearance…go and cause some commotion!"

"As you wish", He said with nonchalance then leapt from the clock tower and landed softly on the ground. He slowly made his way to the harbor with a slight grin and speedy pace of steps. The young lady watched from above the tower as the man below made his way to the unprepared players who watched the fireworks. Within a few minutes he reached the harbor, he quickly caught sight of Rain sitting beside Rin. He raised his hand into the air then shouted loudly: "COME FORTH AIDA AND DO MY BIDDING!!"

Nicholi immediately turned his attention to the man and his seemingly insane words. In a matter of seconds a stream of AIDA burst from his arm and swarmed up into the sky with great speed. Takum quickly reacted by pulling out his weapons, a pair of level 40 Master Blades and said, "So this is AIDA…well I guess I'll see how strong you are!" He launched himself at the black orbs which dodged with great ease. Takum landed on his feet and let out a frustrated sigh, "Then how about this, DATA DRAIN!" The bracelet that he had before appeared on his hand, he shot his hand up towards AIDA and a beam of energy shot into the group of black orbs. After being hit it began to react violently then changed shape into a transparent creature with a purple tint that resembled a squid. Takum lowered his arm and stared in awe after his special attack that had helped him so much in the past failed. AIDA released a deafening roar; its tentacles bent and coiled underneath its body then raised them into the sky. Nicholi removed his sword from its sheath then called Takum's attention, "Takum…on my word attack!"

"Alright, you just give the word!"

Rain and Rin had their weapons ready, as did all the other players in the area. Rain started firing on AIDA madly, "I won't let you hurt anyone!" As he fired AIDA grew angry and swung his tentacle down at him. He quickly dodged and Rin slammed her chainsaw blade down on the tentacle then started it up, within a few moments the serrated blades on the outside of her sword that moved with great speed had cut the tentacle in half. AIDA raised the tentacle in the air and it quickly regenerated what had been severed. In one swift movement the tentacle slashed down at her and she quickly guarded, when the attack hit her guard she was thrown to the ground. Takum readied himself for attack and leapt in the air at the sound of Nicholi's order. Simultaneously, Nicholi leapt in the air as well, his rapier ready to strike. They both cut across AIDA's body with their blades and landed on the ground. However, just as the tentacle had; its body regenerated. Rain watched the two as they fought then headed over to Rin's side, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah…that thing is unstoppable Rain!"

"We'll see about that!" He shot at the creature as it prepared to attack once more, Rain's bracelet began to glow brightly, "Alright…lets try this!" At the same time Takum's bracelet also began to glow, they both looked at each other and then back at AIDA.

"Nicholi, I have an idea! Hey kid…you with the bracelet!"

"Yeah, what is it?"

"I want you to use your bracelet and we'll DATA DRAIN it at the same time!"

"Alright let's do this!"

"Three, two, one…attack now", after hearing these words they both shot their arms forward and a beam of energy shot from both of their bracelets. AIDA was hit by both; it released a roar then shattered into bits of corrupted data. The man in white started to laugh wildly then began, "Heh, you fools actually believed that you could stop AIDA so easily, well I guess the fun is about to really begin then ahahahahahaha!" AIDA began to flow from his body in great waves; he laughed madly then clapped his hands together. A giant shockwave of sound sent all of the players to their knees; the sound was too much for them to handle. At the conclusion of the deafening noise, Takum bolted towards the man with his blades ready to strike. Once he was about six feet from the man Takum felt a sharp pain in his stomach, the end of a scythe impaled had impaled him. Blood splattered onto the ground, he coughed then was thrown to the ground by the scythe. The scythe had formed from AIDA, which was slowly coalescing into a large creature that resembled a praying mantis. From the ground, Takum stared in amazement as the large creature took form in front of him; its arms were two massive scythes. The man in white stood on the creatures head and laughed, "You return to this game from such a long sleep…only to die!"

"Who are you, how do you know about that?"

"I am…we are...hahahahahahahahahaha time to die Takum!"

"I don't think so, DATA BLADES!" In a matter of seconds the blades made of pure data, just as the bracelets were, appeared in his hands. AIDA swung one of its scythes down; Takum vanished then appeared before the creatures head and sliced it in half. The praying mantis that had formed from AIDA exploded into fragments of corrupted data as the other had. The man in white landed on his feet and began to laugh but stopped when a bullet shot into his chest. "Ugh…I am impressed little boy, you caught me off guard. However, you let your guard down!" A swarm of AIDA appeared around Rain who had fired on the man in white, he was frozen with fear. The swarm collapsed on him and entered his body; he fell to the ground and writhed with pain. Nicholi ran to his aid but quickly found out there was nothing he could do. Rin clenched the hilt of her weapon tightly then let out a scream of anger, she ran at the man in white, started up her chainsaw blade, then hurled it at him. He stepped to the side as the blade passed him, it collide with the wall of a nearby building then fell to the floor. The man shot his arm forward and a pulse of energy sent her to the ground in pain. Takum appeared behind the man who slowly turned around and snickered, "You can't stop me."

"Why don't you just shut up and die." Takum stabbed both of his DATA BLADES into the man's back. His body began to shake and he let out one final laugh then exploded into more corrupted data. Takum reverted his blade back to normal then dismissed them to his inventory. He quickly made his way to Rin and offered her some help. After this, they made there way to the small crowd around Rain's body. Nicholi held his body still as AIDA slowly moved through Rain's character data. His characters data became distorted and started to fade, a wave of worry washed over Rin's face.

"Is he going to be okay?" Rin asked.

"It doesn't look good…in all the previous cases of an AIDA infection, the player would fall into a coma."

"Yes, but what about the bracelet Nicholi, can it help him now?"

"You would know much more about that my friend…the bracelet has been with you for a great amount of time."

"Alright then I have an idea, everyone step away from him!"

With Takum's command everyone cleared the area except for Rin. Takum turned to her and started, "You need to back away-"He was cut off by her shout.

"No, I will not leave my friend!"

Takum sighed then held out his arm, the both his and Rain's bracelet began to shine brightly, "DATA DRAIN!" The beam of energy shot into Rain's chest, his body began to twitch a little and then AIDA drifted from his body and slowly turned into the corrupted data.

"It worked." Nicholi released a sigh of relief.

"Is he going to be okay now?"

"I would say a couple days of rest and he'll be just fine." Takum turned to Rin and answered her question.

"Oh by the way…what's your name? When he wakes up I want to tell him who saved him."

"My name is…"

"FOR SOME REASON WHEN I LOOKED INTO HER EYES…I SAW SOMETHING THAT I'D SEEN BEFORE. HOWEVER, I COULDN'T DETERMINE WHAT IT WAS; MY MIND WAS STILL SO HAZY."

"My name is Takum."

She stared at him as if something just clicked in her head, "That name, it sounds so familiar. Have you played this game before?"

Before he could answer Nicholi called his attention, "Takum…look at the corrupted data." Everyone turned there gaze to the sky where the corrupted data had come together, it started to meld together. After a few seconds it turned into the man in white, he looked down at them with a devious smile. Those below him prepared to fight, however the man in white vanished. The girl who sat at the top of the clock tower had also vanished. Takum looked at Nicholi then backed to Rin, "Alright you should probably log out of THE WORLD for awhile, Nicholi and I will take care of Rain."

"Alright, and thank you", she retrieved her weapon the logged out.

After everyone had gone, Nicholi and Takum helped Rain to his feet; they began carrying him to a nearby room. The young man who played Rain was simply sound asleep in the real world. They left him in the room then headed outside, Takum immediately resumed their conversation before the attack had began. "Remember, the next time this player logs in I want to know where she is."

"Listen Takum, I already have the area word…but I don't think you should go through with this."

"Why, I've waited so long to be reunited with her…why?"

"As I said…she's a PKK and if you get involved with her, I can't guarantee your safety. We've sent many CCcorp. officers to speak with her on ending her PKKing and they were all PKed."

"I don't care Balmung, if its Ginger then none of this will matter to me."

Nicholi unsheathed his blade and put it to Takum's neck, "Why do you persist on calling me that? I already told you to not use that name while we're in THE WORLD. There is more than the reason I've disclaimed to you that I don't use that name anymore…now I'll say it once more, don't do this."

"What is the area Balmung?"

He sheathed his sword then turned away from him, "After today I will no longer assist you in any matters Takum. The area is Ω Fallen Decaying Fort Walls…I hope this was worth the loss of our friendship."

"Thank you Nicholi…I am sorry, but I have to do this." After hearing these words, Nicholi logged out. Takum turned his gaze to the sky and repeated the name of the area in his head over and over again. A feeling of both sorrow and anticipation resided within him, sorrow for the loss of a friend, and the anticipation of reuniting with an old one. He hoped inside that one day everything could go back to the way it was, that he'd have all his friends back. Little did he know, a certain person had returned from his past and she waited with great anticipation for her revenge.

A/N: Tune in next time for Chapter 12: Collecting the Past…


End file.
